


Gone

by hazelfae



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, Bit of Ziall to keep ya going, Criminal Louis, Dark, M/M, Mental Institutions, Psychological Drama, Psychology, Psychopathic Louis, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-01
Updated: 2014-10-28
Packaged: 2018-01-10 20:19:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 34,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1164069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hazelfae/pseuds/hazelfae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Oh you’re just beautiful aren’t you?”</p>
<p>This was the first thing Louis Tomlinson said to Harry Styles when they met for the first time. Normally people would find this to be a nice compliment, not Harry though. Louis is a serial killer. Deemed as completely psychopathic and is now holed up in Brookings Mental Institution, a place where only the seriously mentally ill patients go.<br/>Harry, a criminal psychology student, interviews Louis as part of a project and knows all about him from the extensive media coverage of his capture. Louis takes a certain shine to the younger boy and even though he’s under surveillance 24/7... Harry’s in trouble.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

The rickety bus trudged along the gravelly road causing the young man's pen to judder across the page as he wrote some notes in his notebook, humming along to some music playing through his earphones. The man, Harry Styles, was a criminal psychology student and he loved the course.

He had always found psychology interesting and decided to pursue criminal psychology as the idea of evaluating criminals and what goes on in their heads fascinated him. When he'd watch CrimeWatch his eager eyes would flick over mugshots trying to grasp at elements of their character to see if he could deduct what their mind state actually was. Yes, it was a long way away from being a baker which is what his mum thought he would've been because he used to have a part time job in a bakery in their town. Harry does like baking and cooking it's just he couldn't see himself actually doing it as a job. Studying criminal psychology every day almost sends a rush through him, he loves it. Working on different topics on every type of criminal you can imagine is exhilarating. He's never bored and he loves how the course just constantly keeps him on his toes.

He remembers how his mother was a bit taken aback at first when he told her what he actually wanted to do, but then supported him nevertheless, she listens to him when he drones on about how he thinks a current murderer might plan out his next attack just by evaluating his behaviour from news reports. Regardless if they're in America, England, Ireland, it doesn't matter to Harry because each one is just as exciting to study.

Yes, because Harry was so talented at this he was basically top of his class, but his classmates were all very nice and none of them were in competition with each other to be the best, they all shared the same interest and coming into class every day was enough of a reward for them. Sounds a bit too optimistic but it's true. Harry was very shy when he first came into the class, he has trouble trusting people easily as he was bullied when he was younger. It wasn't anything severe, it can just stick with you though so Harry was still affected by it after so many years. He didn't have anything to worry about however as everyone in the class was friendly, his professor was great, and he just felt himself warming up to everyone. In class he's relaxed but is still a bit quiet, if his professor wants Harry to actually give input on a topic the rest of the class is talking about then he'll actually have to ask Harry directly what he thinks. It works though, because Harry can just get on with his studies and feel totally at ease around the rest of the students.

Now Harry is looking at the couple in front of him, even though he specialises in the criminal field of psychology he still likes to see what he can get out of every day people until they yell at him to stop staring at them. So far he has figured out that the woman is quite emotionless towards the man, most likely because he has cheated on her recently but she has taken him back, he seems perfectly confident on the outside, but has an air of insecurity about him. He feels as if he doesn't deserve her and cheating is the only thing that takes that insecurity away until the next girl comes along, she can't see that though that's the sad thing. They're more similar than they think.

Harry is satisfied with that little evaluation and finishes up his notes, he gets off at the next stop and begins to walk the short distance home. These notes aren't for his professor or anything, they're just for himself to look back over if he ever got bored, and to relay to his mum when he goes to visit. He lives in Central London in a small flat with his friend Niall, a twenty year old, Irish sports science student. Bundle of life he is. Never stops going, whether it's out to a party or a bar he's always happy and full of energy, that's why Harry loves having him as a flat mate, he's always so full of life. Shadows pass him in the street but Harry just keeps going, of course when he first moved to London he was quite scared but he got used to it. Now it doesn't matter what time he walks home at, he's fine.

"I'm shorter and weaker than you Harry I walk home and I don't give a fuck" Niall said to him, that's when Harry seemed to get over this small fear and just do what he had to do.

They live in a block of flats not far from the university they both attend, it's very convenient, they just hop on a bus and they're there in about five or ten minutes. Neither of them have saved up enough money yet to buy a car, Harry has been saving up a bit with the money he gets from his part time job at the Starbucks around the corner. He doesn't even like coffee. Niall doesn't have a job however and he's not bothered about getting a car, he's perfectly fine with going on the bus. Niall's classes finish a bit before Harry's so his smiling face is always there when he gets in. Their friendship is well and truly strong, they're quite alike and care a lot for one another. Sometimes it's like Niall can instantly sense when Harry's not feeling himself, he's beside him in a second comforting him and coaxing the issue out of him. The blonde haired lad, even though he may appear to have a non caring attitude, in reality has a heart of gold.

Harry unlocks the door and goes in, hearing the hum of the television, Niall must have just muted the tv rather than turn it off. He says the little hum sends him off to sleep so Harry keeps it on for him, sometimes he has trouble sleeping and Harry doesn't want to take away something that's helping him.

Sure enough as he walks further into their small living room he sees Niall curled up on the couch fast asleep, gentle snores joining the small buzzing noise. Harry smiles and takes his jacket off to put it over him.

Niall's a pretty heavy sleeper so Harry can watch different shows on tv with the volume up and it won't bother him, sometimes he groggily arises and asks Harry what he's watching, when Harry tells him he just goes to sleep again. It's just a blissfully simple life they both live, yes at times they're completely stressed with course work and such, but their life isn't like that every day. Their little dingy flat might not be ideal to some but to Harry and Niall it's perfect. It's home.

Harry thinks of his home back in Holmes Chapel, his mum and his sister who he is incredibly close to. His sister Gemma rings him every few days so he can tell her what he did throughout the week in great detail, she loves listening to him, loves to know how he's getting on. So does his mum. She's always happy to hear how good Harry's getting on with his course, whenever he goes home they both make big deal out of it. Make a massive dinner, have a little party. Even though they know Harry would prefer to just have a quiet night with them they just love to see him have fun and to bring a smile out of him. Just seeing them makes him smile and makes him so happy that his smile practically reaches his ears. Long story short, they absolutely adore him. He's so close to his family and whilst he loves living with Niall he also gets incredibly homesick.

At the beginning of college Niall would come home to Harry quietly sobbing in his room, this went on practically every night for about three months, until Harry realised that it wasn't so bad with just Niall and that he can talk with his family whenever he wants. Needless to say Niall was incredibly supportive of him and comforted him every night. This is probably how their friendship got so strong, they both trust each other so much and always make sure the other is alright. Niall's from Mullingar in Ireland, so it's even harder for him to visit home, he doesn't say it but Harry's sure he gets homesick quite a bit. Harry couldn't imagine being in a totally different country away from his family, it would be unbearable.

Harry's eyelids start to droop and only now does he realise how tired he is, his classes today really took a lot out of him. Luckily he was a bit ahead with his coursework so he could relax for a few days. Even though it's easier now the work is done it doesn't make him any less exhausted by the end of the day, so he decides to take a shower and go to bed. His days don't consist of much else really except for the weekends when he goes to work, he might go out with Niall some night, he doesn't drink so he can be the designated driver every night. He helps Niall when he's heaving into a toilet at four in the morning and that's about as glamorous as his life is.

 

***

 

Tonight, Niall's going out and Harry's going to stay at home, he has to study a bit for a small test his professor told them they were going to have tomorrow, then it's going to be him, a pot noodle and the telly.

He's snuggled up on the couch with the small steaming pot in his hands as he watches some game show that's on before the news. He asks himself if he'd ever be the type to go on game shows, he decides not, general knowledge was never his strong point.

Then the six o'clock news comes on with a picture of a man and a breaking news headline that reads "Serial Killer Caught"

"Hello and good evening, tonight we bring you a breaking news report that has only came to us in the last few minutes. The serial killer dubbed as the 'London Slaughterer' has been caught by police in a secret raid, the location of which they got from an anonymous tip off"

Harry let out a huge sigh of relief, practically hearing the rest of London do so as well. This person had killed over forty people, men and women over the past few months. Never left evidence but every victim was killed in the same way. Their throats would be slashed twice, in the shape of an x. Post mortem their eyes would be gouged out and their hands would be cut off. The eyes and hands would never be found, the killer was very meticulous. All of the victims were then laid out the same way, their arms on their chest and their legs completely straight, their hair would even be perfect.

Detectives had no idea why the killer would be so precise about minute details, Harry had a few different theories though.

"Louis Tomlinson, 23, was arrested in East London and reportedly told the officers repeatedly that he was indeed the London Slaughterer. His trial is next Thursday but it is thought that Tomlinson may plead not guilty by reason of insanity" the reporter babbled on but Harry just sat in shock.

The man in the picture before him couldn't possibly be responsible for the deaths of so many people could he? As he looked closer though he could see no emotion in Louis' eyes, his lips we're drawn up into a smirk as he was being led into the police station. He was psychopathic basically. That, Harry could see, he definitely wasn't faking it.

He was just relieved that he was off the streets, it'll make his walk home from the bus station easier and less terrifying.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well hello again! I hope you like this new story, and I know I said I'd have it up for January but hey, February 1st isn't so bad? Happy birthday to Harry of course and if you like the look of this story then leave a comment/kudos, it would be very much appreciated because I think I'll quite like writing this story.


	2. Chapter 1

"Yes mum I know" Harry said into the phone whilst rubbing his eyes. It's nine in the morning and his mother has decided to ring him telling him to stay safe in London, she has heard that 'The London Slaughterer' had been caught and that suddenly made her realise how dangerous the place could be.

"You better have a good lock for your door" Harry glanced at the door, the strength of the lock was questionable. You could probably just push the door slightly and you'd get in, he obviously wasn't going to tell his mother that.

"Yeah"

"Are you listening to me?"

"Yes mum" Niall had emerged from his room by this point and Harry mouthed 'mum' to him, his eyes widened and he backed out of the room again. Niall knows how protective Anne Styles can be and she will not just stop extending that protectiveness to her kids, oh no, she'd be on the phone to Niall giving him the same lecture as she's giving to Harry if Harry hadn't told her that he was back home in Ireland because of a family emergency.

"Harry?" She said into the phone because it had been a while since he had said anything. He had seemingly gotten distracted by Niall looking a bit shaken as he walked out of the room.

"Mum I have to go to class, I'll ring you later though yeah?" She sighed exasperatedly but agreed and they hung up. Harry glanced at the clock and realised he'd be a bit late, he scowled, he hates being late. It just messes up all his mental timetable he has in his head so he runs out the door to catch the next bus which leaves in... two minutes, great.

 

***

 

Class was very interesting today, they had spent the whole time talking about Louis and their judgement of his character.

"He's actually mad" Matt said, he always gave a blunt evaluation of people, never caring of how they might take it.

"Matt how many more times have I told you that we don't use those kind of words in this classroom" Mr. Jameson sighed, he had taken to pacing around the room so he could make sure he got everyone's opinions. Harry liked how unlike the rest of his professors, Mr. Jameson was very interactive with his class and always made sure that they were kept on their toes.

"Maybe he's got OCD" Tabatha piped up and Mr. Jameson walked over to stand in front of her desk.

"Why?" he asked.

"Well think about it, all of them were killed the same way, laid out the same way, maybe it's just all part of a routine he has to follow, like he can't control it anymore, it just becomes part of his daily routine"  she trails off and starts twirling her hair, something she does when she gets anxious Harry noticed. He looks over at his professor who is nodding.

"That could be one aspect Tabatha yes, good insight. Anyone else?" People turn their heads to see if anyone will speak up. Harry just shifts in his seat, he does have small theories, nothing he thinks would be relevant though so he keeps quiet.

"Right, so with the popularity of Tomlinson in the media at the moment, for the next week we're going to talk about murderers and how they leave a crime scene reflects on an aspect of their mind state" he continues on but Harry's mind begins to wander, Louis' grinning face seems to be tattooed into his brain, then again it doesn't help that the news reports about him constantly.

What most are thinking is that he's going to be in jail for the rest of his life for these murders, he's never going to have a normal life again...and he's smiling about it. He's practically laughing at them all. They don't understand why he's just completely oblivious as to how his life is crashing around him.

He's psychopathic, he's void of any emotion. He doesn't care where he goes now, his fun is over and now going to jail is like a little break. People are quite frustrated that anytime Louis is out in public, being transported to different high security buildings whilst he awaits his trial, that's he's always...content, they want him to feel the same pain the families of his victims feel everyday. The thing is he just can't. It's an impossibility, in fact from what it looks like to Harry, Louis is lapping up any attention he gets from onlookers. A mischievous glint in his eyes shows that the smile he wears is not in any way friendly. On the telly you see him for about five seconds whilst he's walked from the police van into the building, held firmly by two policemen. He always lifts his head up rather than keep it down and covered like most criminals do, and smiles at the crowd that has gathered around the building. A wide smile that looks like he's so happy that they're there just for him. People shout abuse at him but that smile never falters, he proudly keeps his head up.

It's sickening to people really, that someone can be this twisted. How could someone who's killed so many smile like he hasn't done anything wrong? How is it possible that he doesn't feel any sense of remorse for his victims or their families?

They can't even keep him in prisons because prisoners will find a way to get at him and they can't risk that before the trial so he goes from building to building around London basically every day, fuelling the news so it’s basically Louis Tomlinson central which is probably doing wonders for his ego.

The bell rings for the end of the day and Harry gathers his things and heads out.

"Styles!" someone calls out from behind him as he's walking down the corridor, he turns around to find Tabatha a small distance away from him. She has stopped twirling her red hair around her finger for once and her arms are now at her sides as she walks towards Harry.

"Listen, your sister.. Emma?"

"Gemma"

"Gemma yeah. She single?"

"Er I think so" Harry has to admit he was a bit taken back at her unabashed approach.

"Here's my number, give it to her next time you're talking to her" she hands him a small, folded piece of paper.

"Thanks!" She calls over her shoulder and Harry is still standing there.

You really do need to work on your social skills Styles.

Obviously with psychology you need to have good communication skills if you actually plan on taking some form of it up as a career. Regardless of which field you go into you'll need good communication skills, which Harry has...sometimes.

When he's around his friends and family sure he could blabber on and on about any mindless topic but in class he tends to stay quiet and won't say anything unless he's asked. Tabatha is an example of an ideal criminal psychologist. She works well, talks well, understands well, she just does everything correctly and rarely messes up. Something Harry envies. She'll saunter into class, head held high with confidence, the only flaw Harry notices though is that she gets anxious sometimes, therefore she does the twisty hair thing. Harry's not exactly sure what causes her anxiety, but he think it might be if people make eye contact with her that it causes it to creep up on her. He knows this because he has tried it, just when he's talking to her before class starts, he looked directly into her eyes and instantly she looked at any other point on his face and brought her hand up to her hair to start twirling a piece. In a weird way it was entertaining, that just looking at someone can change them. Their confident mask they put on is stripped away with very simple things.  
Of course Harry’s not saying he doesn’t have this problem and that he’s all swell and perfect, no. Harry doesn’t think of himself as that way at all.  
When he got bullied when he was younger he began to build up this hatred for himself. Voices started speaking in his head saying   
_“Well if they think there’s something wrong with how you look then there must be, just look at you!”_  
When he looked into a mirror he didn’t see a happy smiling fifteen year old, he saw something disgusting. He just hated being in his own skin and as a result he got quite depressed. The disgust and hatred he felt on the inside felt like it was burning to get out and he began harming himself. It truly was a dark time for Harry, a place he never wants to go back to.

The bullying continued and with every comment it just brought him down even more until finally it all got too much and he told his mother. Doing that took a massive weight off his shoulders which no one his age should have. Soon after he moved to a different school where he never got bullied and made many close friends. It felt good to just feel like he was actually significant enough to be someone's friend.

He's better and stronger now thanks to his friends and family, even has a few tattoos to cover up scars that never faded away. Mentally though, the scars haven't faded. He's still affected by the bullying even though it's stopped for so many years, he's quiet and he worries. He could be a lot worse, but slowly, day by day he's putting those days behind him.

 

***

 

"And she just gave you her number?" Gemma asked, Harry and her were Skyping like they do pretty much every week since he has come to college.

"Just strolled right up to me, asked if you were single and then you got asked out on a date and you weren't even there" Gemma laughs.

"My charm is reaching out to all parts of the country clearly" she flipped her hair with her hand which made Harry laugh.

"Show me a picture of her, for all I know you could be lying about your description of her and I'd be having a date with a goat named Holly. And don't you deny it! It's happened before" it has actually. As a prank Harry set up this event that Gemma would be going on a blind date and the only thing she knew was that his name was Jake, she comes downstairs to meet the lovely guy who's taking her out to instead to find out it's actually a dog called Jake.

This seems rather cruel but the whole family just has a great sense of humour and by the end of it all Gemma and Harry were practically on the floor laughing their heart out. During their lives Harry has been a matchmaker for his sister and he has actually set her up with people that she stayed with for a quite a while. She's bisexual so he's got quite the variety.

He thinks Tabatha would suit her quite well, her personality is one Gemma would quite like.

Harry sends a picture he pulled from Tabatha's Facebook page and sends it to Gemma, he hears her click on it. Her eyes widen.

"Wow she's... Yeah. Harry you've done a good job this time!" She smiles and takes out her phone.

"I'm calling her right now. Thank you so much"

"No problem"

They say bye and hang up. Harry smiles to himself and just sits there huddled in his little ball on his bed, the telly just being background noise to his happy bubble.

"Louis Tomlinson has now been convicted of murder, guilty by reason of insanity, he'll now begin his life long sentence in Brookings Mental Institution"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Wow the prologue got such a great response thank you all so much. If you've read my first fic (Crawling Back To You) you'd know that it wasn't until many many chapters in that you actually met Harry, this fic is different. You actually meet Louis in the next chapter.  
> Again thank you all so much for the great response it's truly appreciated.


	3. Chapter 2

There's no mention of Louis on the news now because he has been convicted and is now spending his life in a mental institution, nothing to build on there.

Conversation in class had died down about him as well and what was a very popular story has turned into something that was not worth more than a few minutes to cover, must've really hurt Louis' ego. Harry can imagine that he loves being the centre of attention. He finds himself thinking about him a lot, not Louis specifically but his techniques. He definitely liked order and routine that was clear.

Maybe Tabatha was right, maybe he did have OCD, it would explain a lot. But that was for the investigators to figure out.

Since he was talking to Gemma last her and Tabatha have been talking a lot and now Tabatha is actually going to visit her, Harry's happy for them.

He hasn't had a right relationship for about.. two years? He's bisexual as well but he just hasn't been able to find anyone who clicked with him, they've all been little flings and nothing more. It might also be down to the fact that Harry doesn't get out a lot, he only goes outside to either go to class or work. Rarely for other things, that's rather sad. Niall's out practically every night having the time of his life, just parties have never been Harry's thing, he'd be better off if they were, at least then he'd have a life. Staying at home on either his laptop or watching telly is all he seems to do with his free time, Niall has tried to drag him out and just have him live a little, but no, Harry always goes home early.

Maybe this weekend he thinks, but he doubts it'll happen. He always makes these broken little promises to himself that for a second he thinks he might carry out but realises he actually won't.

Now however he's drumming his fingers on the desk as he listens to his professor, he has mentioned that tomorrow they'll be taking a trip to a mental hospital to evaluate one of the patients, something Harry is overjoyed about. He has never had any hands on experience with an actual criminal like this, he's never interviewed any but now he is and he can't wait. His professor now says that they'll then present their evaluations to the class next week, how lovely. Sometimes it can take a second for something bad to come along and ruin everything. This is one of those times.

Presenting things is something else that Harry hates. He's a quiet lad, keeps to himself, so the very idea of standing in front of about twenty students talking for ten minutes scares him.

He used to be really bad with those things once but as he got older the fear started to go away, it was still kind of there now but nowhere near as bad as it was.

The class are told to get five questions prepared for tomorrow and to be outside for the bus at eight am.

***

When Harry gets on the bus the next morning he's a bit annoyed, he sat there all of last night racking his brain trying to think of good questions to ask this person, Mr. Jameson gave them no context about this person whatsoever. Nothing. So Harry found it quite difficult to get past one question, he hopes that he can somehow make a conversation with the person and that'll give him enough information for his presentation. Mr. Jameson also didn't tell them what mental institution they were going to, but now as the bus makes it's way closer to this cream, modern looking building Harry recognises it from the recent news reports, it's Brookings Mental Institution. The rest of the class has noticed by now as well and you can practically feel the fear growing more and more.

"Well we're fucked eh?" Tabatha says, she decided to sit next to Harry for the whole journey and they have barely said a word to each other.

Harry nods, this place is where the seriously mentally ill people come, it's the most high security mental institution in the country. Patients there are allowed no visitors and they rarely go outside. They're completely unsafe to even interact with each other, they let that happen once. Then one patient scratched the others eyes out and now they have stopped it. It seems when they go in there they get worse.

Mr. Jameson still says nothing even when students are asking him who it is they're interviewing. It's only when they get through all the security stations that they stand in this big open area of the place and he tells them.

"Class today you're interviewing Louis Tomlinson" a gasp comes from everyone and some are shaking their heads in disbelief.

"No no don't worry, he's under surveillance constantly, he's handcuffed, strapped down, the works. The doctors have reassured us that it's ok for us to interview him because... Well he hasn't talked for the past few days and frankly if anyone can get information out of him then they're happy. Right then follow me" they're lucky they can even move, but they follow their professor through the hallways, up some stairs until eventually they are all led into this dark surveillance room where some doctors are watching through this two way glass and others are looking at CCTV monitors.

A doctor comes up to them and he briefly introduces himself as Doctor Payne, he reassures them again that Tomlinson is safe to talk to and that they shouldn't be worried.

That doesn't help anyone.

He talks more about how Tomlinson has been the past few days when Harry's eyes wander to the two way glass.

Tomlinson is sitting at a table that has been pressed up against the wall where the two way glass is. He's staring at the wall opposite him but occasionally turns his head to stare at the mirror as if he can see through it.

"Right shall we begin then?" The doctor announces and the first ashen faced student makes their way into the room.

***

Every student has come out looking absolutely terrified and they've only been in there ten minutes, with every petrified looking student that comes out of the room Harry gets more and more scared. Even Tabatha hasn't spoke since she came out a while ago.He feels as if he's about to collapse when he realises that he's next as the student before him finishes their interview.

Louis seems to be very smooth and relaxed, he practically feeds off the fear that each student shows and he's just loving the attention.

"Harry?" Mr. Jameson called snapping him out of his trance, he then realised that the girl before him had now left the room and was looking visibly shaken.

"Yes?" he knew what he was going to say he just wanted to... stall him. Did he hell want to go in there and have a lovely dandy conversation with an actual serial killer. Yes they'll be under constant observation so Louis doesn't try anything, but that still doesn't make Harry feel any less terrified.

"You're up" the professor gestured at the door and Harry took a look through the two way glass once more and tried to reassure himself that it really was going to be fine, they'd be watching him, he won't die. Maybe. They might blink and then find his mutilated body on the ground but he just couldn't think about that, he was in here for 10 minutes, he's going to get the information and he's done. Never to see this psychopath again.

Stopping at the door to the small interview room he took a deep breath and walked in.

Louis' movement was restricted, his hands were handcuffed behind his back and his feet were chained to the chair, this put Harry at ease a small bit.

He walked around the back of Louis' chair and over to the empty one in front of him.

"Oh you're just _beautiful_ aren't you?" Louis practically sighed and Harry froze to the spot. His voice was unlike anything he'd heard before, it had a kind yet manipulative tone to it.

"W-what?" Stay calm he told himself in his head. He managed to move his legs again and sat down in the chair now coming face to face with the notorious serial killer. All ruffled brown hair and blue eyes. He was wearing his own clothes strangely, a white top and dark coloured jeans. He looked completely normal if you just forgot about the whole serial killer part.

"Nothing" he replied with a slight smirk. Harry shifted uncomfortably in his chair and looked down at the page of questions he had written in front of him. This is already going great.

"What t-"

"What's your name?" Louis interrupted. Harry just stared at him unable to talk. Looking at Louis you'd never think he'd be capable of even thinking of murder. Those blue eyes bored into his, waiting for an answer to his question. Wait he was supposed to be asking him questions this isn't supposed to happen.

"Harry"

" _Harry_ " Louis sighed, rolling the name off his tongue like just saying it was pleasurable. Harry looked towards the two way glass beside him, the table was pressed up against the wall where the glass was so the people could make sure that he wasn't going to try anything.

"As I was saying, what do you think tr-"

"I'll make this whole thing easier for you Harry. I'm presuming your question was what triggered me to start killing right?" Harry nodded.

"The answer is nothing. I was always a twisted kid. Killed family pets, went on to bigger animals and then eventually people. I find it.. Invigorating. From the squeals of fear coming from them, to the sound of breaking flesh with a knife... There's really nothing like it.

When I'm done with them and I look at my creation. I feel like I could almost come right there and then. They look so... Beautiful so.. _Perfect_ "

Harry's shocked at how graphic the description was but he manages to find his voice.

"And you think perfect is leaving them with no eyes, hands and their throats slashed?"

"I feel flattered that you remembered so much Harry. Yes of course I do. They're stunning to me, that I did that to them. The rush I get Harry, it's like no other. But you see they" he jerked his head towards the glass.

"Think it's all that simple, they think that I just kill for fun, for pleasure and I'm not clever enough to do so for any other reason. Look under the table Harry"

Harry, confused, looks under the table and gasps. He has managed to free his hands from his handcuffs and they're now just in his lap. How did he not realise that before? Shit.

Now Harry's scared. He wants to run out of here and never come back. His breathing has picked up and Louis notices all of this of course and smiles.

"Now if I wasn't smart Harry how would I have managed to do that hm? They think it's all so simple Harry. Their simple minds, simple lives, simple ways of doing things. Everything has an explanation in their heads even if it's not true. This situation is anything but. Of course they didn't realise that. They thought that now I'm in here, any power I had is gone. That's why they allowed alllll of you to come visit me. They think I'm harmless Harry is basically what I'm saying. But-" he holds his arms up now and looks towards the glass grinning.

"Now they know their pointless little ideas to try and get me to come around.. For me to talk is just.. Well.. Pointless!" Guards came in and started to grab at Louis but he managed to pull away to lean forward and grab the front of Harry's shirt.

"And may I say my dear that look you've got right now is the sexiest thing I've seen in my life" Harry was now being dragged away from the room but just as he got to the door the wink that Louis gave him sent him running to the nearest bathroom.

***

Harry's gone now and Louis' just sat in his room. Completely unable to take his mind of the lovely curly haired naive boy that he terrified only hours ago.

He could've kicked himself when the words "oh you're just _beautiful_ aren't you?" fell out of his mouth. He couldn't help it. He was the prettiest thing he's seen in a while. Poor thing was fumbling over himself trying to get on with his questions. It didn't help when Louis went off on one of his tangents and it really didn't help when Louis showed the poor boy that he had taken his handcuffs off. He had a little pin he had found on the floor on one of the buildings they were taking him from and he kept it in his mouth until he thought he'd need it. Right up in his gum he had it so they wouldn't see. So when they put the handcuffs on they left him in his room for a while whilst they prepared for the crowd of students to come in. Louis sat on the floor and spat the pin out and kept it in his hands.

By the time the third student came in to interview him he had them off. He threw the pin into the corner of the room until he'd needed it next because he was sure the guards would search him thoroughly.

They did after Harry had been pulled out of the room then looked like he was about to get sick when Louis winked at him.

Louis was known to be a bit of a charmer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all. I really wanted to get this chapter out so here it is, hope you enjoy. Tell me what you think and as always I'm open to suggestions so feel free to leave yours. I'm currently writing chapter 3, so that might not be up until the weekend or Friday perhaps? I'm not that sure but I do hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you all for the amazing response to the last chapter.


	4. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! There's a bit of graphic violence in this one so if you don't like that then maybe give it a miss.

"Styles!" Harry hears someone call but he's out the door of the suffocating building heaving against a wall, he feels someone's hand on his back and nearly jumps out of his skin.

"Hey it's alright it's only me" he looks up and sees Tabatha smiling at him, she's rubbing her hand up and down his back. Why does she care for him so much, it doesn't make any sense to Harry. He's there hunched against the wall for about ten minutes before he actually speaks.

"What.. was that?" his voice comes out quite breathless.

"I really don't know. He's been taken away. We're all going back now, you'll never have to come back here again alright?" She continues rubbing his back and Harry stands up. At that point Mr. Jameson decides to rush out of the building over to the pair, relieved to see that he didn't run off completely and just stayed outside the institution. At this moment in time Harry feels he needs a stint in the institution. He's tempted to go back in and plead for a room.

"Harry... Thank god... Are you alright?" Harry nods and lets Tabatha guide him back to the bus. Images of Louis replay back in Harry's head and he's disgusted that he's even thinking about that piece of filth. The sooner he gets out of here the better.

**1 year ago**

_"Please! I swear if you let me go now I-I'll never breathe a word of this to anyone I promise please!" Louis rolled his eyes, why can't these people accept that no amount of pleading, begging or seducing will make him change his mind. They're just making him all the more angry. It did amuse him however, how people can go from seemingly strong and powerful to weak and meaningless in a matter of moments. This is what Louis does, and he loves it._

_He places the writhing woman on the floor in the middle of his warehouse, her hands and legs were bound, Louis stifled a laugh because she looked like a dying fish really._

_"Now Sophie.. If I did that you'd run off and tell everyone wouldn't you?" She violently shook her head._

_"Aw... But you would sweetheart I've known people like you. And I've killed all of them" her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to start pleading again but Louis put his gloved hand over her mouth._

_"Sophie I'm being nice to you. I didn't tape your mouth shut so we could have a nice little chat, I'm very polite right?" She reluctantly nodded and Louis smiled_

_"You're a singer?" He asked, he saw her come out of a community hall where he heard a choir, almost made his ears bleed that._

_"Y-yes"_

_Louis' smile widened._

_"Ooooh this'll be great! I knew I made the right decision not taping your mouth" Sophie looked confused back at him._

_"Your screams will be like music to my ears" he laughed and made a small flourish with his hands and then pulled out a knife from his back pocket._

_She tried to scramble away but Louis stood on her right leg and jumped until he heard a crunch. But no she was still trying wasn't she, so he did the same to her other leg. She cried out and Louis closed his eyes, he was right, her screaming was better than her singing._

_He said nothing whilst he brought the knife to her throat and cut through, floods of blood erupting from the wound and Sophie began spluttering. Her tears now mixed with blood. It only takes a few seconds for them to actually die but during that time they're gagging for air. So basically they suffocate on their own blood. It's a bit funny to Louis really. Something they need so much eventually kills them._

_Louis ran over to his box he had in the corner with all his different tools, he loves his box, it has everything he could possibly need in it, and found the spoon, he used this to scoop out her blue eyes. Common. Boring. He cut the little tendon at the back of them both then left them beside her whilst he got to work at her hands. She was wearing a ring on her left finger, married. Louis’ known her for an hour and he feels as if he’s doing her partner a favour, she was the most irritating one yet._

_When he first started doing this it was a bit difficult to get them cleanly off, but Louis found his own technique and now he's able to do it quite quickly. There's some stubborn bones that requires his bigger saw but other than that all he has to slice through are the tendons and muscle and he's finished. Louis stands up and steps back, in love with his masterpiece. It's quite beautiful. Much better than before. She was boring before._

_He throws her body into his car and drives to a place he found a few days ago, it was like an abandoned park. It's was only about an hour's drive from his warehouse so he thought it'd be perfect for his next one._

_He carried her to a small clearing just from the opening of the park and laid her down, making sure everything about her was completely straight and not a strand of hair was out of place, she had nice brown hair. It was quite long though which annoyed Louis because then it would take longer to get straight and perfect. This one was a nice one, she was about early twenties, petite... Whiner. Louis was proud of the work he did on her, now she'll be forever beautiful, well until they burn her body and scatter her useless ashes over some meaningless area that will eventually bear no significance to anyone, people can be quite silly. Louis never saw the point in funerals, why they can't just get rid of a body and be done with it is beyond him. Especially when it's one of his, he just wants it gone and forgotten about._

_Sophie stayed there and Louis got into his car and drove back to his warehouse. It'll take them about three days to find her now. Louis can't wait to see other people admiring his work. He'll admit that she does look quite pretty._

~

"Louis!" Louis is brought out of his blissful memory to the sound of Doctor Payne calling his name, he hadn't even realised that he had sat down in front of him.

"Hello Liam how are we today?" He smiles sweetly at the Doctor who as a result begins to nervously adjust his coat.

"I told you to call me Doctor Payne Louis" Louis stares at him, right into his eyes and he finds it amusing that he can make a fine grown man like Liam squirm with just a look.

"Getting a bit kinky huh.. Doctor Payne?" He draws out the young doctor's name and Liam rolls his eyes. “I bet you like that don’t you, being all formal, bet it gets you off people calling you that”

"It doesn't matter for now, never mind, Louis why did you take your handcuffs off?"

Were they still going on about that? 

"They're hardly comfortable Payno.. I like the fluffy ones.. They're nice don't you think?" He raises an eyebrow and Liam's mouth is left slightly open, he's been Louis' doctor for his entire duration in the institution, they sit down and chat about different things so he's more than used to Louis' ways.

"How did you do it?" 

"Magic" Louis whispers which just makes Liam sigh in exasperation. He loves toying around with him.

"You revealed more to... Harry was it? Yes Harry, than to any other student. Or us for that matter, why?" 

"Because he looked like fun"

"Fun?"

"Yes. Fun. Is that not a word you're aware of?" Harry was a whole lot more than fun to Louis but he's not going to tell these like minded imbeciles that is he?

Liam looks over to the two way glass, he obviously can't see through it so Louis doesn't know why he's doing so.

"What if you talked to him again?" Louis sat up straight. Now he was interested.

"What do you mean?"

"Instead of us asking you questions, Harry could do it" 

"Right so you're going to get a psychology student to do your work for you because you're so shit and can't do it yourself?"

"We haven't been able to make much progress with you Louis and we think that with Harry.. You might be more comfortable" Louis scoffed.

"Wow, you care about my comfort? I'm touched"

"We think-"

"Listen Liam- sorry, Doctor Payne. That boy looked like he was about to puke his guts out when I just winked at him. Do you really think he's actually going to come here again?" 

"Maybe. If we offered him money"

"I doubt that"

Knowing he wasn't going to get any more out of Louis today, Liam took Louis’ handcuffs off and left the room. Louis got up and padded around the room, drumming his fingers on his thigh as he walked.

So Louis is alone again.

People say that they like to be alone sometimes, left to their own thoughts. The peaceful silence should relax even the most tense people. It should even relax Louis.

But everyone knows that the silence can get deafening, especially when it's the only thing you hear most of your day besides your own breathing. Heart beats that you hear when you're as quiet as possible. Louis hates it. Hates it all.

Even for Louis being alone gets a bit much sometimes.

~

The students are now back on campus and Tabatha has come over to Harry and Niall's apartment to make sure Harry is okay.

The boy looked utterly shocked and terrified. Who wouldn't be. He just got winked at by a guy who could kill him with his bare hands and wear his guts for garters. Tabatha shook her head, there's an unwelcome image.

Since he got back he hasn't said a word. He's just sat there with a mug of tea-now gone cold- in his hands, his eyes trained on the wall opposite him. This is ridiculous. Are they just going to sit there in complete silence whilst Harry burns holes in the wall? Niall is sat beside him rubbing his back, Tabatha looks at Niall who just shrugs and she sighs.

"Styles" Nothing.

"Styles" Still nothing.

"STYLES!" He jumped and looked at her, the cold dead stare that he was giving the wall was now transferred to her.

"What?" He practically growled, what is he mad at her for? She got him out of his weird stupor that's he's been in for an hour. He should be thanking her.

"Do you want to talk about what happened or something?" She knows he wouldn't but she really didn't know what else to say. She just wanted him to stop vacantly staring. He shakes his head and now heads off to his room. After another while of silence, Niall decides to talk.

"I'm still completely lost. What happened?"

"We interviewed a criminal today at the mad house, but said criminal took a shine to young Harry here"

"Who was it?"

"Louis Tomlinson"

Niall's mouth dropped open and he pointed to a headline about him in the paper, a picture his now infamous smirking face joined the article.

"T-that one- him?" He frantically pointed to the picture and Tabatha nodded.

"How could they let students interview him?! He's a complete nutcase, a very dangerous one at that" 

"He had good behaviour for all the time he was there so far, they thought he was safe. Until he got out of his handcuffs and scared the hell out of Harry"

Niall's eyes widened even more when he heard that.

"He what?"

"Broke out of his handcuffs, said to Harry 'hey lookie here', five minutes later Harry was puking against a wall because not only that but the sick fuck winked at him"

Niall didn't even say anything after that and just headed straight to Harry's room.

Tabatha left and called Gemma, it wasn't her place to tell her what happened, so she decided to wait until Harry thought it was the right moment to do so. Instead she felt that talking to Gemma would raise her spirits a bit, today had been a long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed the chapter! As always thanks for the great feedback on the last chapter, it's always appreciated.


	5. Chapter 4

Harry was in a state of shock for the next few days and Mr. Jameson completely understood, he kept blaming himself, saying that if he just didn't organise that trip then none of this would have happened, the students wouldn't still be scared and Harry... Well Harry wouldn't be getting psychologically scarred by a serial killer.

Brookings Mental Institution had gotten in touch with the Professor, asking him if he could send Harry back to them so that he could interview Louis on a regular basis.

He found this utterly disrespectful, this one encounter with Tomlinson had Harry absolutely terrified, do they really think doing it again is a great idea? Apparently so in their twisted heads. The patients are rubbing off on them.

Harry was slowly but surely returning to his normal self, he put Louis to the very back of his mind because Mr. Jameson had abandoned the project after they came back. Niall has become more protective over him now and always tries to make Harry's bad days good. It's in this time that Harry realises how much he should truly appreciate his friends, without their love and support he would still be in his room, staring blankly at a wall, hoping that the blankness might transfer into his mind. He told Gemma but asked her not to tell their mum, he knew that she'd be driving straight to London to take him home with her, he didn't want to worry her at all. It was okay now.

Tabatha was the other major support figure in this situation apart from Niall, she really comforted Harry and talked to him like nothing had happened which to be honest was the best method. He found that that helped the most and that he could actually open up to her, forgetting all about Louis.

Yes, slowly Harry was getting better, that was until Mr. Jameson had let it slip that the institution had been talking to him, that's when things went downhill again.

They were just talking after school about how Harry was doing, todays lesson, the interview with Louis, other students perceptions on him when he suddenly said

"Honestly it was completely unprofessional and rude for them to ask you to come back and interview him" as soon as he said it his eyes widened like at that moment he had no control over what he said. Well shit. The wide eyed scared looking boy was back again after they tried so hard to get him back to normal again, the professor wishes the ground could swallow him up, this is the worst thing he could have possibly done.

Instead of running crying from the room Harry stood up straight and swallowed.

"What?" His voice coming out a bit shaky. He's surprised that he's not visibly trembling, it seems any mention of Louis will just scare him to his core. It’s very strange how a complete stranger has had such an effect on him, then again Louis wasn’t just anybody.

“Er. Sorry Harry. Sorry.. I guess I should have told you, they rang me the day after your interview with _him_ and asked if you’d come back and interview him on a regular basis, apparently you made more progress with him than anyone else has. Strange I know… you’ve just.. made an impact on him?”  
Harry felt himself slipping into one of his trances again but seemed to snap himself out of it quickly. How could he, a student, make more progress with a complete psychopath than trained doctors could? It just didn’t make sense to him. Of course Harry didn’t think he made any profound effect on Louis because he’s insane, he didn’t think it would matter to him. It shouldn’t, right? This is just bizarre…

“I told them no, that it was completely disgusting and unprofessional of them to ask, don’t worry, you’ll never have to go back there” Harry really turned the decision over and over in his mind, he knows that it won’t be good for him but he really needs to think about the families of his victims who still need closure, they probably lay awake every night thinking the same one word question, _why?_  
Maybe Harry could be the one to find that out. He should stop thinking of himself and start thinking of the victims who’ll never again speak to their families, not even they could tell them why Louis did what he did. No. If Harry does this… he’s doing it for them. If he’s the only one who can actually get him talking then why should he just sit back and do nothing? Should he sit back and feel sorry for himself for the rest of his life? No. If something is going to be done about Louis it’s got to happen sooner rather than later, eventually he’s just going to stop talking altogether. Harry needs to do this. He really needs to. He has to in a way.  
“Ring them back. I’ll do it” and with that Harry left his shocked professor and exited the room before he could change his mind.   
He’s not sure if he’ll regret this or not, this could be the decision that completely breaks him.  
***  
“What did you do that for you idiotic, curly haired twat?!” Tabatha was screaming at Harry since he told her about his decision to accept the offer of interviewing Louis regularly. He expected it from her of course, but nothing anyone says is really going to change his mind, this is something he has to do.  
Harry shrugs in response and takes a sip out of his cup of coffee, he told her to meet him at Starbucks. She hasn’t even touched her caramel latte.  
“It’s just something I need to do, I don’t know” he shrugged again and Tabatha looked as if she wanted to pour his coffee over his head. She probably will eventually.  
“Are you mad? Do I need to ring them in advance and get them to set up a room for you already? Put it right beside old Tomlinson since you two are going to become best buddies already with the rate you’re going”   
“I doubt that me and a serial killer will become ‘buddies’” she rolled her eyes and finally drank some of her latte.   
“The point I’m trying to make is a few days ago Harry that man terrified you, he properly made you see and feel fear like nothing else, and you’re going to go back to him? It’s not like getting over a fear of spiders, you don’t need to face this fear. For once it’s too dangerous”  
“I’ve heard they’ve upped his security more” Tabatha laughed.  
“Because that stopped him so well last time, you remember how that went right? Because I’m beginning to believe that you have amnesia or something and have completely forgotten what has happened over the past week” Harry sighs, he wish he could forget. Sometimes you wish you could actually control your mind, so things you just want to forget you can do so. Like throwing something away, it’s gone and it doesn’t bother you anymore. If life was that simple the world would be too happy.. sickeningly sweet, contrary to what some say people can be too happy.  
“Look this is just something I’m going to do, new experiences, I read something once that said ‘life is a book and there are thousands of pages I haven’t read yet’, maybe this is me completing another chapter” Tabatha sighed again, she does wish Harry would stop being all philosophical sometimes. It doesn’t help.  
***  
“Louis!” Louis turned over in his bed from staring at the wall to smile at Liam, why is he happy he’s never happy.  
“This better be good Payno I was relaxing, you know I do like to relax, unwind and all that shit” Even with that remark Liam’s smile didn’t falter, this must be good so.  
“That Styles kid agreed to come in and interview you again” Louis, even though he wanted to smile so much his face would start to crack, kept the same smirk and nodded.  
“Okay, if that’s all” he flicked his finger towards the door and Liam didn’t even look the slightest bit annoyed that he was being kicked out, Louis finds that annoying. He loves nothing more than annoying him everyday.   
Harry coming to interview him. A regular thing. Louis finds him so fun. Just looking at him is fun. He just looks like a deer caught in headlights all the time, those big green eyes, innocent look, what’s not to love about that? It’s a lovely thing to watch. Harry might begin to like him, Louis thinks he’s a likeable person. Yes, some people would beg to differ but Louis thinks he’s quite a nice lad, well.. interesting might be a better word.   
Louis will finally have some fun again, he must admit Liam was starting to get a bit boring.

***  
After another few weeks of everything being arranged, Harry being told what to do by doctors, what to look out for with Louis and rethinking his decision countless times, today was the day.   
Harry was pulling on his tattered brown leather boots when Niall, who had just been staring at him throughout breakfast, says   
"Are you completely sure you want to do this?" The answer to that is he doesn't. Obviously. Who would? But he nods, says a quick goodbye, grabs his phone and wallet and heads out the door.  
Word had gotten around that Harry was going to be interviewing Louis, people at work were looking at him more funnier than usual, this time it had a hint of disgust laced through. Harry was used to it, it seems just anyone who works here believes that they're better than you somehow. Sad lives. However the look the taxi driver have him when Harry said where he was going was just priceless. His eyes widened to the size of saucers and he just bleakly nodded. Harry wasn't really sure what he felt, scared, nervous, angry? He just couldn't pinpoint one emotion, maybe he was just numb. That would make sense.  
The cold, repugnant building soon came into view but still Harry didn't feel anything. Maybe this is how Louis felt most of his life. Empty.  
The security check passed in a blur and soon after Louis' psychologist, Doctor Payne, was telling him all he needed to know about Louis and his mannerisms.  
"He's very manipulative and clever, he could have you do something before you'd even realise you're doing it. Don't trust him. He's psychopathic and can mimic emotions, he's in no way caring, sympathetic or kind, if you're planning on going in there and trying to shock him with pictures of his victims' families then if won't work. Sorry. He can be very frustrating. Now, any questions?"  
Harry was surprised he didn't space out in the middle of all that and he shook his head. His head just felt like it was filled with cotton wool, that anything he did was real.  
 _Maybe this is all a dream_ he thought, _I’ll wake up and Louis would never have existed_. Unfortunately when he pinched his arm and realised that it wasn’t it all started to sink in, then he got nervous. His stomach dropped when he thought about seeing Louis again. Maybe this time he’ll actually kill him, finish what he probably meant to do the first time he met him. Tear at his face with his bare hands, already tainted with the blood of his victims, he probably still heard their screams every night, maybe that’s what sends him off to sleep every night.  
The young doctor is now looking a bit concerned, his brown eyes scanning Harry’s face because he seems to have just gone into a daze.  
“Ready to go then?” Harry nodded, the lad hasn’t said a word since he got here. Harry takes a deep breath to try and ease his nerves, it doesn’t work but it would be nice if it did. He follows the doctor not even bothering to take in his surroundings, what’s the point, he’ll be here so often he’ll memorise every aspect of it eventually.  
In the institution every patient is in a room by themselves. For obvious reasons. As Harry passes all the metal doors there’s a small peephole in each door, he can’t see through them but he hears the odd bang or crash.   
“Where’s the banging noises coming from?” he asks and he hears Doctor Payne sigh.  
“Some of our patients, when someone new comes along try to get their attention through any means possible, they throw themselves at the doors and walls because other than that it’s quite hard to make any noise, some haven’t had interaction with people other than medical professionals in over forty years, so they get quite… excited when they hear about a new employee or someone just inspecting the place” he said that with such ease and no emotion that Harry realised that he must have worked here for a while to become completely desensitised to all of this, this would make Harry feel bad for the criminals. They’ve almost reverted back to a childlike state, using any means to get attention. They crave it.  
They twist and turn through all the corridors, their footsteps alerting patients that there’s someone in the halls and more banging ensues. Eventually Doctor Payne stops at a small staircase which leads up to a door.  
“All new patients are kept in this type of room for a year so we can evaluate their behaviour around the clock, it’s easier to try and figure out what kind of person they are, then they get allocated to a normal room where they’re still medically examined every two weeks, they see psychologists and their food gets brought to them” the doctor explained as they walked up the stairs. He took out a card from his pocket and swiped it through a key card lock in the door, the lock flashed green and the door audibly unlocked. When Harry stepped into the room there were four other people there, all doing exactly the same jobs as when he was here last time, watching monitors, watching through the window and taking notes. Harry glanced through the two way glass and Louis was sitting at the same table he was last time, his hands bound with handcuffs and a cable tie this time, that’s not comfortable. Louis didn’t seem to care though. He stared ahead, not bothering to try and look through the two way glass this time.  
Harry felt a hand on his back as Doctor Payne guided him towards the door, wait no he needs to prepare himself for this, he can’t just go right away.  
“You have an hour. Good luck” he gives a curt smile and opens the door, Harry is urged forward and the door shuts heavily behind him making him jump slightly.  
“Harry!” Harry closes his eyes upon hearing his voice. However, his nerves have subsided a great deal and he rounds the table to sit in front Louis, the man smiles widely. Harry forces one back, he has to make it seem like he likes him for the duration of these visits or else he’s not going to get anywhere with Louis. Louis sits up straighter and licks his lips, his eyes flicking over Harry’s face before he speaks.  
“Never thought I’d see you here again. Sorry for.. scaring you last time”  
“I wasn’t scared”  
“Oh?”  
“No, I felt sick, had been since that morning, I think it was because the room was stuffy that I just had to get out” Of course he was terrified but obviously he’s not going to tell the one person he’s scared of most in the world that is he? That would be letting him win, he’d love that.  
“I don’t believe you for a second Harry, but I do agree, the room is very stuffy, they won’t give me a window because they think I’ll get out! Not even a tiny one. They’re silly to think that right? I’m not that small” Harry thinks that that last sentence wasn’t just referring to his height by the way Louis was looking at him and he swallows the bile that his risen up his throat.  
“Yes that’s silly, so um.. lets talk about you shall we?”  
“My favourite topic lovely”  
“Yes.. tell me about your early life, what your family is like, y’know.. your upbringing”  
“ _Wellll…._ ” he slumps in his chair and rolls his eyes.  
“I was raised in a town called Doncaster in South Yorkshire, I was an only child and I lived with my mum, Jo. When I was about.. hm, lets say eight, I came home from football training, the training pitch was only across the road you see, it had a nice forest adjoined to it where I’d break the necks of various birds and animals and proceed to dissect them, oh but I’ll get to that later anyways.. where was I.. oh yes! Came home, mum wasn’t there so I rang the police and told them that she hadn’t come home, some relative, I think she was an aunt or something came over to look after me and about two days later they found her body in the River Don. She’d been killed by some guy who panicked whilst robbing her handbag and then he just dumped her in the river. Sad that. Then I was raised by said Aunt, Auntie Jane, until I ran away when I was twelve, we were a skint family me and mum, so she didn’t have a will. So when I ran away, got various jobs and bought myself a flat” he finished off with a smile and looked expectantly at Harry for him to say something.  
“Before you open your mouth don’t even ask if the death of my mummy contributed to me killing people, it didn’t. Like I told you before I was a messed up kid”  
“But what do you think was the reason why you became a ‘messed up kid’?”  
“I don’t know.. bored, wasn’t a lot of entertainment in our house, no telly, oh I did have a teddy, some kid at school took him off me though..I liked him” he looks down wistfully and Harry begins to feel sympathy for him but Doctor Payne’s words come through his mind again _‘he's psychopathic and can mimic emotions, he's in no way caring, sympathetic or kind’_.  
“Now Harry, I think it’s only fair you tell me a bit about yourself don’t you think?” Well he was expecting that to be honest. He was prepared for this though and he knows not to give a lot of information about his family or other personal details.  
“Well I was raised in Cheshire with my mum and sister and I do criminal psychology at college”  
“Not giving me a lot of information, did they tell you to do that?” he nodded towards the glass.  
“No, it’s just me”  
“Ah okay. No problem Harry, we’re friends here we’ll open up to each other eventually it’s fine” _Not in this life time_ Harry thinks. Louis stares at him for another while until he speaks again.  
“Is there a lot about me on the news now Harry?” Harry shakes his head and Louis looks disappointed, there’s a period of awkward silence where Harry picks at his nails and shifts in his seat, Louis seems to be in deep thought.  
“Shame that. All that effort for a few minutes of air time, then again, everyone knows about me now”  
“My flatmate didn’t”  
“Ah! So there’s a flatmate” Shit.  
“Er yeah”   
“Name?”  
“Er.. John” Niall would kill him if he knew that he gave his name out to a psychopathic murderer.  
“It’s not though is it Harry?”  
“Hm?”  
“That’s not his name”  
“What is it then?”  
“I don’t know… I’ll find out though” that last comment made Harry go rigid with fear, what did he mean by that? How could he do that, that’s not possible, maybe he just said it to scare him. He hears Louis chuckle.  
“What?”  
“You just look so cute when you’re scared, if you could see yourself honestly.. aw” He sighs contently and Harry just feels more and more uncomfortable by the second. Luckily, the door opens and Doctor Payne pops his head in.  
“Times up Harry”  
“Well.. bye”  
“Bye Harry, see you soon”  
Harry nods and walks out of the room into the watch room and lets out a deep breath.  
“That was fantastic!” Doctor Payne says excitedly, it’s the first time Harry has seen him smile so far.

“Was it?”  
“Yes, we’re definitely doing this again” _Oh joy.._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is quite big so I hope you all liked it! Thanks for all the feedback as always.


	6. Chapter 5

Harry had pretty much figured out from his first interview with Louis that there really was no point to having pre prepared questions to ask him. He'll always stray from the topic and go off on a tangent which also may prove to be useful information for his doctors to put down in his file. Harry actually got a look at Louis' file before he left because Doctor Payne was so giddy he was willing to agree to anything. Reading through his background Harry found that what he had told him was true to what was written in his file, however one part of his background was highlighted and a note was written above it by some doctor he presumed saying _'mother's death played some role of his mental deterioration? Explore further.'_ All throughout his file there were these little notes, different doctors nitpicking various events, behavioural aspects and even quotes from Louis to try and build up a better image of his clearly troubled mind. Flicking through the pages of the thick file Harry wondered how many different doctors had talked to Louis and added things to his file. Probably well over fifty. Louis is drawing this out for attention, he trickles new information in conversations and when he stops they move on to a different doctor. Simple. What they probably haven't got yet is that he is just doing this to get more attention for himself. He didn't have to worry about it at all when he was in the media because he was constantly on the news, people were drawn into his story and  even though it was quite bad they couldn't tear their eyes away.  
People who would describe themselves as pacifists sat down to find out new updates on the case and found it intriguing how one person could be so malicious and sinister. Even before Louis was revealed as the killer the media lapped him up. Quickly dubbing him as 'The London Slaughterer' after his first five kills one week after another. Experts on criminal psychology, forensics and criminalistics were talking on Sky News every day about  what kind of a person they thought the killer was, why he'd kill them in such a way and leave their bodies in such a perfect state. Everyone had their own opinions and checked tellies, radios, newspapers and the Internet to constantly be in the know on this addicting case. The country was addicted to Louis even though they wouldn't admit it.  
Harry imagines that Louis sat back every evening smiling to himself that he could create such an impact on people, he'd do what he liked to do and he'd also get what he loves, attention. There never can be enough attention. It seemed to be an easy enough life really. Harry took down Louis' address and looked it up on street view when he went home, he certainly must've had some other job on the side to afford a place in this really fancy looking apartment complex. The building was as tall as any other complex but it just had a modern look to it, the flats looked bigger and modern and the entire building was a crisp white colour. It was in the posher area of East London, a place where Harry and Niall would tut and roll their eyes at whenever they passed it. Seeing the people who lived there all dolled up in their designer clothes with their designer accessories, living the high life whereas people like him and Niall couldn't even dream of having a life like that. Harry's Starbucks job was only just helping him pay his side of the rent after he put about a quarter of his wages into a savings account for a car. Niall's odd jobs that he did for people, fixing cars, plumbing and occasional bar work meant he had a bit more money than Harry even when he had paid his half of the rent, they still weren't able to afford a better apartment though. They didn't necessarily want one either, the flat they lived in, no matter how bland it might look, was home to them and that's what matters.   
Louis, before he was arrested was definitely more well off than he was letting on, he was making it sound like he practically lived on the streets which definitely wasn't true. All of the little lies he told Harry were all to evoke sympathy but Harry knows better, he won't fall for his tricks.   
He'll give it to him though, he is very convincing with his spurious emotions, he's a good actor. All Louis wants is attention, for people to be hanging on his every word. He loves getting what he wants clearly, the doctors are so desperate they got Harry in to talk to him because Louis found him interesting, he may be the one locked up but he certainly has them all like puppets. In order for these interviews to work well and for Louis to actually talk to Harry comfortably, Harry must first.. well act comfortable himself, like talking to Louis is a special time.  
With any other patient giving them a sense of false hope that someone cares for them enough to listen to their drivel works like a charm, with Louis though it'll probably work for all of two seconds before he figures it out, laughs and tells Harry to stop being like _'them'_ , the doctors which he has to see every day who 'bore' him.  
Harry shouldn't show any emotion besides a bit of happiness really because patients like Louis practically feed off of fear, sadness and humiliation. It's something that brings them great joy so today Harry is expecting anything and everything to get thrown at him by Louis to provoke some sort of reaction he wants. So when Harry steps into the room now he's ready for him, ready for whatever he has to try and knock him down. He's actually been practising his bland expression in a way that it just stays and doesn't change which is always good, Harry has a feeling that Louis can see right through that. Sometimes he feels as if Louis can see right into his head and knows whatever is going to come out of his mouth next, Harry's not the same by any means. Harry can never expect what comes from Louis and just has to take it on.   
“Niall” and this is why Louis is unlike any person he’s ever met before, you just never know what he’s going to say next. If this is the first thing he says to Harry as soon as he’s gotten in the door then clearly this is going to be an interesting day.  
“What?” Harry rounds the table and is met by a smug looking Louis, about three visits previously Louis mentioned he’d find out the name of Harry’s flatmate, now he has but obviously Harry’s not going to act like he has. He puts on a cool exterior but on the inside he’s burning, scared and any bit of resistance he’s built up towards Louis is dwindling, like he put up a wooden fence separating himself from Louis’ words and Louis has just taken a lighter to it.  
“Your flatmate’s name is Niall” he nods but Harry shakes his head and shrugs off his coat, placing it on the back of his chair.  
“‘It’s not”  
“Right. Well I know it is and you think you’re protecting him by lying. Won’t work love” Love seems to be Louis’ little nickname for Harry which he has acquired the past few weeks, it doesn’t bother him. It should and Doctor Payne, Liam which Harry now calls him, has certainly taken notice. He thinks it’s a big thing, that he’s showing some weird sort of affection towards Harry even though he doesn’t feel any emotion. That’s why Harry isn’t getting creeped out about it because Louis actually can’t feel any emotion. Harry does think sometimes what would it be like to feel no emotion, would it be good or bad. He hasn’t figured it out yet.  
“Want to know how I know his name?”  
“Enlighten me”  
“Magic”  
Harry sighs.  
“Great, anything else you need to tell me today?”  
“I hate coffee?”  
“Something significant” Louis pouts.  
“Harry dear anything I say is always significant, Liamy boy should’ve told you that by now. That and his fascinating kink for handcuffs”  
“What?”  
“Nothing… tell me about Niall. Are you two fucking? Friends with benefits? Blowjob bud-”  
“No”

“Oooh so there must be a Niall. Yeah… there must be a Niall because you would’ve- you would’ve said that ‘Louis I don’t have a roommate called Niall so he is called Niall!”  
“Feel proud of yourself do you?”  
“I actually do, prouder than that time where I managed to keep a girl quiet by standing on her neck.. she did die though… maybe the world is better off, she was a screamer”  
“What was her name?”  
“Erm.. was it Emma? No… Ella.. Elle.. Oh! Eleanor!”

Harry flicks through a file in front of him.  
“Eleanor Calder, 23, found with a shoe print to the neck, same mutilations as the others, found near Hyde Park”

“Yeah.. she was cute.. All nooo don’t kill me!” He imitated in a very high pitched voice which Harry actually very nearly laughed at.  
“Nooo my parents have a lot of moneyyyyy! See take my handbag that’s worth a lot. Ugh money Harry. Do you have a lot of it?”  
“No. Definitely not”  
“Good. Money changes people Harry my boy. Changed Eleanor you see.. she was probably a lovely lovely sweet girl before money came into her life and changed her into some slut going to fancy clubs and restaurants and hanging out of any guy who’d have her. My mum was like that too… silly silly woman”  
“What do you mean? I thought you didn’t have a lot of money growing up”  
“Because she kept it for herself Harry. She’d go off hanging out of sugar daddies, buying her all these things and getting money all for herself. I’d be going to school in rags Harry, I mean I had two shirts and one pair of pants for years, the only thing she’d replace for me was shoes. Have you ever felt that Harry? Felt that no one cared enough for you to have a better life than they did? Got bullied. A lot. I was only young and kids bullied me because I was scruffier looking than them and didn’t always bring a lunch to school. They stopped laughing when I broke this kids finger though because all he did was point at me and say ‘Oh here comes smelly Louis!’ Didn’t have a fun life Harry, that bitch certainly didn’t make it better”  
“I thought you loved your mum” Harry nearly felt like crying a bit when he heard that story but at this point he wasn’t sure if Louis was lying or not.  
“Sometimes. She could be nice and actually be a mum sometimes… only sometimes”  
“So you don’t like her… right”  
“Something not believable about that Harry? Hm? Just because your mummy may be at your beck and call doesn’t mean everyone else's are like that”  
“I wasn’t suggesting that Loui-”  
“Oh just shut the fuck up would you?”

So that’s what Harry did, he felt as if anything else he said at this point would be wrong so he just shut up and let the air fill with Louis’ heavy breathing, only now did Harry realise how angry Louis was.  
“So you and Niall are fucking then?” Well that was a complete u-turn.  
“No, we’re just roommates”  
“You like dick then?”  
“Yes”  
“Good. So do I” Harry kind of knew that already. It’s just the vibe he got off him really that he actually did have some sort of… liking for Harry.

“You were smart to shut up when you did love”  
“Why?”   
“Because if you didn’t” he brings his hands from around the back of the chair, where they should be handcuffed, and places them on the table.  
“I would’ve wrung your pretty little neck” he smiles and once again the bumbling of security guards come and take Louis away who goes willingly and Liam takes Harry out of the room.  
“Sorry about that Harry”  
“S’alright”  
“You don’t seem that bothered?”  
“No. I’m just not really”  
“Alright for next week then?”  
“Of course”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like this chapter, thanks as always for all the feedback, new chapter coming next weekend.


	7. Chapter 6

Harry felt as if it was the right thing to do, to tell Niall that the psychopath he interviews every week found out his name somehow, well if it was him in Niall's situation he'd want to know.. maybe.  
Niall was mid bite through a sandwich Harry had made for him to break the news to him when he just completely froze, his mouth still hanging open.  
"So you mean to tell me, that psycho somehow knows my name"   
"Yeah"  
"For fuck sake Harry what did you tell him?" He puts the sandwich back down on the plate and pushes it away. He lost his appetite. Shit.  
"I swear I didn't tell him anything, I wouldn't! I wanted to protect you more than anything. He just twisted what I said and then confirmed for himself that he was right" Niall nods.  
"You know what, I didn't want to mention anything about this because I thought it was stupid, but this guy has been... following me I guess, for about a week now. Like any time I turn around the same guy is there, either talking to people or on his phone, he's just there. I thought he was just some random guy but now you've said that fucker has miraculously thought of my name... well he must've had someone finding out for him wouldn't he?"  
"What did he look like I might've seen him"  
Niall's blows a long breath out and leans back.  
"Had like tanned skin, black hair, weird eyes, wore a black beanie... I think he had tattoos" Harry tries to think if he had seen anyone of that description around campus but can't think of anyone.  
"Fuck Harry I just thought of something" he grasps at his hair and leans forward.  
"If that's the fella that's been following me, he's going to know where we live, he's probably told Louis whatever else he's found out shit" he puts his head in his hands and Harry feels awful, he should've never gone through with this interview thing because he never knew how much it would affect the people around him. He never wanted to see Niall upset or distressed like this, it's horrible.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know it would go this far"  
"Harry for fuck sake you're not stupid, you don't tell a psychopath who has a thing for you personal information, like I'm not even doing your fucking course and I know that" he kept running his hands through his hair looking more and more angry.  
"Niall-"  
"Just shut up" with that he headed off to his room and slammed the door. Harry ran his hands through his hair then rested his head on them.  
"Fuck"  
***  
Niall was incredibly pissed off at Harry but he felt quite bad when he came out of his room and completely ignored him as he walked past him and out the door to his next class. He was already late but he didn't care, he just needed to get out and clear his head.  
There weren't many students on campus because most of them had gone to their classes so when Niall heard an extra pair of footsteps behind him he got a bit worried. It was the middle of the day so he wasn't afraid or anything.   
_They're just going to their class_ he thought, but when he'd stop walking whilst he texted back one of his friends the person would stop too. It's not like there wasn't enough room for them to walk around Niall... no... they were following him.  
Niall slowly turned around and the guy who he had described to Harry was standing there looking down at his phone. Enough was enough.  
"Right mate I've had enough of this" the person looked up from his phone and looked behind him but then realised Niall was talking to him.  
"Everything alright?" he asked, slipping his phone back into his pocket.  
"No it's not actually because you've been following me for weeks, I know you have" The person laughs.  
"Think you've got the wrong person mate I'm just trying to get to my class" with that he pushed past Niall and left him standing there, confused and even more annoyed.  
Fucking Harry.  
***

After enduring a few hours of his professor lecturing on and on about the importance of nutrition and exercise plans for athletes, Niall was spent. All he wanted to do was hop on the bus and get home. So after he flirted a bit with a new student called Amber he was on his way, his legs just dragging him along.

But he heard it again.

He heard those footsteps again.  
Now he may be tired but he knows that there is a second set of footsteps behind him. He spent a good half an hour talking to Amber so most people have cleared off, again he’s getting paranoid and a bit worried so he turns around and finds the same guy who was following him this morning.  
“Hey” he doesn’t have his phone out this time and just has his hands in his pockets.  
“Mate what do you want you actually can’t deny you’re following me this time, this is twice i’ve caught you today” the guy smiles and stretches out one of his hands towards Niall.  
“‘M Zayn” Niall reluctantly shakes his hand and just stares at him questioningly. Is he mentally okay?  
“Right… hi Zayn… any reason why you’re following me then?” he tries again and Zayn nods but doesn’t say anything.  
“Are you gonna tell me?” He seems to consider it for a moment by tilting his head to the side, stares at something and pouts out his lips.  
“No” he shakes his head. Niall has every reason to be freaked out really. Some random guy, sorry, Zayn… we’ve settled that at least. Zayn is following him, has been for a while and he’s just not going to say why. Wonderful.  
“Are you with Louis or something?” there’s a pause where Zayn just stares at him, Niall takes this momentary silence to actually take in his appearance, if this stalking thing goes on for any longer he needs some description to give police. He was wearing a white tank top and a black beanie… again, the tank top exposed his heavily tattooed right arm. Right so tattoos, tan complexion… dark eyes and hair… name is Zayn, he was around the same height as Niall as well. Pretty decent description.  
Niall doesn’t know how much time has passed before Zayn finally speaks.  
“Secret” he winks and pushes past Niall. Niall is just standing there again, dazed really until Zayn looks over his shoulder.  
“See you tomorrow”  
***

“Zayn” Niall says boredly as he walks in and Harry looks up from his laptop, a word document with his latest Psychology assignment open.. completely bare.  
“What?”  
“The guy following me. His name is Zayn” he places his jacket on the back of the hook inside the door then goes over to grab an apple out of the fruit bowl and sits beside Harry on the couch.  
“Right…”  
“Asked him…” he pauses to swallow a bite of apple. “If he was with Louis, like an accomplice or some shit and he just said ‘secret’. So…” another bite, “When you go see him again, mention his name and see how he acts, great assignment you got there”  
Harry had resorted to writing the word ‘dicks’ over and over again, he just couldn’t focus at all.  
“I know. Good idea that, but are you alright?” he closes his laptop and turns to Niall who has already devoured most of the apple.  
“Me? Why wouldn’t I be?”  
“Well I know if I had someone following me down to my roommate not being able to keep his big gob shut, I’d be pretty pissed and freaked out” Niall finishes the apple and throws it into a small bin across the room and manages to get it in.  
“YES!” he shouts and throws his arms up into the air.  
“What was that sorry?”  
“I said I’d be pretty annoyed if someone was following me down to my dumb arse of a roommate who couldn’t just keep quiet”  
“Well yeah, you’re a bit of an arse, but you’re a nice arse, I’m not mad at you. Just get your nutcase to call off his man. He’s found out where we live, what else does he need to find out?”  
“Anything about us… to use against us?”  
“Harry he’s in there for the rest of his life what would he need information like that for?” he stands up and stretches.  
“S’pose you’re right” Harry opens up his laptop again.  
“Right, i’m off, night”

“Night”  
Niall definitely was not going to tell Harry that the lad was a bit of a looker… definitely not. And Harry definitely wasn’t going to tell Niall that he spent the past two hours researching anything possible that was online about Louis.  
No definitely not. That would be weird wouldn’t it?  
***  
Soon enough it was time for another visit to Louis and Harry had only one thing he had to mention to him today, Zayn.  
Tabatha came around the night before and still tried to convince Harry to stop going to visit Louis, that it wouldn’t be good for his mental health in the long run, but Harry just told her to not worry about him, he’s fine.  
And he is.. really. Well he’s about as alright as any other person would be interviewing a serial killer.  
Harry got through the security checks and went up to Louis room meeting Liam and another new doctor strangely.   
This guy just reminds him of something… he just can’t put his finger on what it is… maybe he knows a relation of his? Maybe he saw him out and about in town one day?  
“This is Doctor Malik, he usually works on weekends when you’re not here but we were short staffed today because two of our usual doctors called in sick, so we called him in”  
“Hello” the doctor greets and Harry nods at him, saying a small hello back. He noticed that Doctor Malik’s gaze lingered on him for a bit too long after the greeting. Hm.  
“Well. You know the drill” Liam smiled at Harry and held the door open for him.  
“Harry!” Louis shouts and Harry holds back a laugh, he’s actually in a straight jacket this time. Wow.  
“Louis, how are you?” he sits down in front of Louis and it seems that the straight jacket doesn’t phase Louis a bit. He’s still his usual smiling self.  
“Fantastic my love. Great. How’s Niall?” Harry has to stop himself from rolling his eyes and just sighs.  
“Fine, actually-” he removes his coat and places it on the back of his chair. Louis puts on a mock innocent expression. Even though he probably knows exactly what Harry’s about to say next.  
“He’s being followed, by a guy named Zayn. Know anything about that?”  
“No. Why would I?” Harry can’t figure out if he’s lying or not he’s got such a stoic expression.  
“Okay, just thought you would”  
“No.. no. Now tell me, how have you been?” Harry proceeds to give him a short description of his week, leaving out the part of him intensely researching Louis to no avail as there really isn’t anything else out there that he doesn’t already know about. But he did find something.  
“Tell me about Stan” instantly Louis’ demeanor changes, his eyes widen and he shifts in his seat. He can’t believe Harry would even know something about this.  
“What about him?” he tries to regain his calm and collected stance but Harry notices and is actually pleased he finally hit a nerve with Louis.  
“He was five years old… when he was found stabbed to death and his body chucked in a river… no one was ever charged for that, but you were with him the night he died weren’t you?”  
“How do you know about this?” Louis whispers and Harry smirks.  
“Nothing a bit of research can’t do” Louis shakes his head, absolutely pissed that Harry would be able to find something like this. Anything but this.

“Yes. Yes I was, when did you turn into a police officer eh? We’re meant to be having a nice conversation you and me. Not something serious like this. Why are we talking about Stan? He’s long gone. Good friend yeah but I’m over it”  
“You were… six? That right? When he died?”  
“Yep, what are you doing here Harry?”  
“You had a bit of a row with him didn’t you, before he died, that’s what you told police officers… then you said he went into a car with a man… a stranger?”  
“Yes”  
“They didn’t pursue that anymore because you were so young… figured you were traumatised enough and his killer was never found but I have another theory”  
“Oh do tell”  
“I think you killed him, I think he was your first person you killed… he made you angry… said something that made you angry and you stabbed him with something… I don’t know what but something a six year old could easily get their hands on… you flipped didn’t you… you killed him”  
“No, no and” he paused and moved right in front of Harry’s face. “No”

“W-what, no what do you mean no?”  
“He genuinely was kidnapped you plonker, not that great of a researcher are you? I described the car perfectly and it was found burned out down the road a bit from where he was found in the river. God Harry what do you take me for?”  
A meaningless conversation followed and Harry went home feeling pissed off, annoyed, angry and cranky. To spare Niall from suffering a backlash of all that he just went straight to bed.  
He really thought he got with that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I just want to say a massive thank you, this story has gotten so much more bigger than I ever thought it would so I really want to say thank you and I hope you all enjoy it.  
> Anyways I hope ye all have an amazing day and again, thank you very much.  
> Before I go do you like the little introduction of Zayn? Hope you do. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter.


	8. Chapter 7

Louis was sitting on his bed bouncing a ball off the two way glass in front of him, they gave him a ball to play with because he kept whining and screaming saying that he was bored and he needed something, or someone, to play with. A doctor who he believed her name was Sarah told him to stop bouncing it off the glass, that it was "annoying and you could break it" but he instead threw it at her face and she walked out holding her nose. Whoops. Maybe he broke it, maybe he didn't, the point is is that she didn't come back.  
He had this... feeling, he knew when the doctors would be off on their lunch break, when it would be time for his next meal, whatever it may be he just seemed to know even though there was no clock or window in his room. His room was very minimalistic, pure white walls, stone floor, a bed and a small table and two chairs for when doctors or Harry came to talk to him. Things like clocks, shoelaces, pictures, posters, all had to be restricted because they were worried Louis would use something to try and kill himself, he has reassured them on multiple occasions that they shouldn't worry about that but they're still iffy about it. Idiots.  
This rhythmic thump of the ball hitting the window kept him occupied just enough until it was the doctors' lunch break, and when he had a visitor.  
He doesn't know how Zayn managed to get a job in 'Britain's top security mental institution', he wasn't a doctor of any sorts, they must have completely overlooked his forged paperwork and took him in because they were short staffed. Sad really. Bet they wouldn't like that to get out. That they have such 'top security' they let a guy with forged paperwork work for them. Bless them they didn't know any better, they probably thought he'd be great psychiatrist material, Louis also meant to ask him how he managed to convince them that he could work with Louis. He was a bit of a charmer like himself. He taught him well.  
He heard his door click open and Zayn's grinning face popped in, striding towards Louis with a contented smile.  
"Ooo what am I up for today doctor? Got those fluffy handcuffs for me then?" Zayn laughs and empties the pockets of his white lab coat.  
"Nope. Nothing on me mate sorry" Louis tuts and gestures for him to sit on the other end of his bed. Louis' room is filled with security cameras but Zayn'll make sure to wipe the footage of his visit when he leaves. This is his first visit to Louis even though he's been working at the institution for a while now, he hasn't gotten the right opportunity to visit him. He has actually managed to get through the work that was given to him and gets along with other patients just fine, his boss is satisfied with his progress and no one has suspected anything out of the ordinary.  
"What have you got for me? Stalking Nially boy are we?" Zayn nods.  
"Yep. Got where they live, what classes they take, been following Harry for ages and he didn't realise only Niall"  
Louis nods, satisfied with the progress. Why did he get Zayn to keep an eye on them? Just because he couldn't... obviously. So it was handy to have Zayn keep him updated on all things Harry whilst Harry wasn't with Louis.  
Not being protective or anything, no nothing like that at all... alright maybe a bit.   
"What's their place like?" he can almost imagine Harry smiling at his laptop with his feet propped up on the coffee table on a plush couch, happy. Then his blowjob buddy comes along and fucks up his happy little daydream.   
"Haven't been able to get in yet because it seems like one of them are constantly home, by the outside though it looks... alright, like not the best but okay I guess"  
Louis didn't like the sound of Harry living in a place that was just 'okay', he didn't like that at all. No Harry deserved a palace. He hates to admit it but he has a soft spot for the doe eyed lanky boy. It kind of makes him feel a bit sick.  
"Warm up to blondie. Get him to trust you. We'll need him in the future" Zayn nods.  
"I was planning on it"  
"Alright then. Come back to me next week with the results" Louis gives him a quick smile and Zayn leaves.  
He doesn't tell Louis that he was planning on 'warming up' to Niall already, no he was going to keep that to himself.  
***  
"Niall I swear it was all there. The evidence was all there" Harry has been trying to prove that Louis killed his friend for about an hour now. Niall isn't sure what he should do so he just lets him rant on, occasionally nodding his head and throwing in the odd comment.  
"Mate he's probably a compulsive liar as well, the man's psycho what do you expect?"  
"I don't know... I just- I just thought I had him" he throws the sheets of paper he had on to the coffee table and sits back in the couch.  
"And you probably did. He wasn't going to say that with all those doctors there though. Don't beat yourself up about it mate. You did what you could" he pats Harry's shoulder and heads into his room.  
Niall's head has been in the clouds the past few days. Since his encounter with Zayn he just hasn't been thinking straight at all. His mind will always wander to him and he's frustrated that he hasn't seen him since. So because of that he's just kind of been in dream world. A dream world with the dark haired mysterious lad. Yes he does need to be creeped out and angry that this stranger is stalking him but it's weird, you'd think stalkers would be weird looking, creepy old men but Zayn was the complete opposite. He was handsome, charming and... interesting.  
He seems like a nice lad he'll admit that.  
***  
~Few months earlier~  
  
 _Louis hands were gone red from the cold. Breathing into them did nothing except create a cloud around them whenever he did so. The weatherman said it was below freezing point, yet here Louis was on the streets of London freezing his tits off for his new person of interest to emerge._  
 _Their name was Ian, in his forties and married with four children. He was currently at church and Louis was around the size of the large building where no one could see him. It was night time so it made it easier and there were only lights at the front and back of the church. He was practically invisible._  
 _Louis had been following Ian for a while now, he seemed like a well respected, popular man and got on well at work, he was a businessman. He had a perfect life really._  
 _Louis also knows that his youngest child Sam is currently at home sick and his wife is there to look after him. The older children don't really care for going to church so Ian is going alone. Perfect for Louis. Louis wasn't one for church either, didn't believe in it all and just found it to be a waste of time. His mum was religious. He remembers how she'd always wear a cross necklace every day, silver, the only piece of jewellery she actually got herself. All the other trinkets and luxuries were bought by men who didn't like Louis so much._  
 _But Louis can't think about that now. Now it was him and Ian._  
 _Ian._  
 _Silly name._  
 _Louis is so lost in his little reverie that he nearly misses Ian as he heads back to his car in the car park, Louis follows him silently. Even though Louis is wearing dark clothing people who might see them would think that this dark clothed man accompanied Ian, a relation of some sort, Louis really had nothing to worry about._  
 _Ian has reached his car when Louis pushes him up against it and presses the handle of his knife to his back._  
 _"Get in and follow my directions, if you don't I'll blow holes in you for every wrong turn you take, sound okay?" Ian meekly nods and ducks into his car, Louis goes around to the passenger side. The idiot didn't even realise there was no gun. Louis really didn't like guns, he never used them to actually hurt people, just to frighten them with the noise, they're too quick. Knives are fun._  
 _Ian obeys every instruction Louis gives him until they come to his warehouse. Louis pulls him out of the car and bounds his hands together with cable ties, they are quite painful but very effective._  
 _"Walk" Louis snaps and pushes him towards the door. Poor mite has barely said a word to Louis._  
 _"Now are you going to run Ian?"_  
 _"N-no"_  
 _"Good"_  
 _"How do you know me? Why-why am I here?"_  
 _"Oh. Well you see I've known you for a veeeery long time. Very long. Does the name Johannah Tomlinson ring a bell?"_  
 _"Yes...yes it does. I knew her"_  
 _"You did, you were quite close"_  
 _"How is that your business?"_  
 _Louis had been walking around Ian and now he stops._  
 _"Oh well you know her son that you hit whenever he got in your way? You called him a... Oh what was it again... Ah! Yes a 'little fag' when you caught him putting on some of his mum's new jewellery. That's me love but you may know me better as the London Slaughterer"_  
Ian Rhodes was found down an alleyway at the side of a derelict building, his body left the same as the others.  
  
***  
Trying to get some sort of insight into Louis' mind was proving to be a very difficult task. Harry had been interviewing him for weeks and he has not budged at all.  
Whenever Harry thinks he's got him with something Louis is always one step ahead, ready to shoot claims down with a wave of his hand and a roll of his eyes.  
Louis has been getting more and more information on Harry and Niall, Harry came in one week and Louis said   
"You looked beautiful yesterday, lovely shirt" Harry just hasn't reacted really. He muttered a thanks that time and Louis said nothing more, Harry knows it's some guy called Zayn that he has still yet to meet even though him and Niall have 'bumped into each other' on numerous occasions. Harry probably has seen him he just hasn't realised that it's him and not just any other stranger. Niall doesn’t mind bumping into him it seems, he probably goes up to Zayn sometimes himself. Harry has noticed that he has been a bit dreamy lately, when he asked him he simply said “Oh exams… studying and shit”, Zayn probably included in there somewhere as well but Niall wouldn’t say, he keeps his love life quite private actually. Harry wouldn’t know who Niall would take a shine to unless he actually saw them with that person, despite him being openly bisexual when it comes to him actually being with someone, he keeps that quite private. Harry has never really cared for keeping his love life private, maybe because he doesn’t have one, of course he wouldn’t tell Louis if he ever got someone. He has a feeling that something ‘unfortunate’ might happen to the poor guy so it’s best not to tell a psychopath who has some weird thing for you that you’re dating someone. For their safety at least, though he feels like Louis would find out anyways with Zayn breathing down their necks.  
Liam said that for the past two weeks Louis has been far more cooperative than usual. He'll actually talk with doctors and follow what they say and he's also more friendly than usual. Normally he's snarky and sarcastic with all staff members but he's been very friendly recently... a little too friendly. So as a result Liam has told Harry to try and find out why Louis is being especially nice, Harry was going to anyways.  
"Harry my love!" Louis calls as soon as Harry opens the door.  
"Louis" Harry greets and sits down in his chair. Louis doesn't wear the straight jacket anymore and they've gotten stronger handcuffs for him, his request for pink fluffy ones is still denied.  
"So according to the doctors... you've been very nice these past few days"  
"I'm always nice Harry"  
"No you're not"  
"Well only to you. I like you. You're fun"  
"I'm fun?"  
"Yes fun. We've been through this before love"  
"So we have... so any reason at all for actually being polite to the doctors? Actually agreeing to meetings with them?"  
Louis nods.  
"I've seen the light"  
"The light?"  
"Yep. I'm a changed man"  
"I really doubt that"  
"Aw you don't have faith in me?"  
"I didn't say that"  
"You implied it. No don't worry love I'll be back to my old self the next time you see me. Promise"  
And true to his word he was. By the next week Louis was back to his old snappy, sarcastic self, leaving everyone to question why he suddenly changed.  
***  
"Zaynnnn. You disappoint me" Zayn gave Louis a questioning look as he walked in.  
"Why?"  
"Because I was all happy and good because you said you might have gotten into their house and gotten me something of Harry's and then two weeks later there's nothing"  
"Well alright then what's this?" Zayn pulls a green beanie from his pocket and throws it at Louis. Louis looks down at it as if it's pure gold, or a key to get him out of this place. He brings it up to his nose and breathes in the scent. It smells of him. He cuddles it then puts it on his head.  
"What did you say to the security guards?"  
"Said you specially requested it, that you were throwing a tantrum"  
"And what will you say to the doctors?"  
"That you saw me wearing it when I came in to see you, you wanted it and said that if you didn't get it you'd throw a tantrum"  
"Very good" Zayn nods. Louis feels really lovely wearing Harry's beanie. It just feels nice. Gives him some sort of a warm feeling. That might be heartburn though.  
Zayn goes on to describe Harry and Niall's wonderful abode and it doesn't sound as bad as Louis worried it was.  
"Anything else?"   
"I've been meeting Niall for coffee" Louis wrinkles his nose. He really hates coffee.  
"Fucking yet?"  
"No. Just talking" Zayn looks away and Louis eyes him suspiciously.  
"You're not developing some sort of crush on him are you?"  
"No-"  
"Oh god you are. Wow I can see it. I-I can actually see it in your eyes. Any mention of him and they just light up. Zayn I said follow him not fall in love with him, did you not hear me right?"  
"No no of course I did. I'm not in love with him Louis we're just friends don't worry"  
"I don't want to have to worry about this Zayn. Harry'll see you and'll scream bloody murder when he does. He'll know you're working for me"  
"I'll be careful"  
"Hm"  
"Do you trust me?"  
"Hm" Louis doesn't even need to look at Zayn to know he feels utterly deflated. Zayn hates Louis to be pissed at him. He can't stand it. Louis loves it.  
Zayn slinks out of the room without another word. Louis takes the beanie from his head and lies on his side on his bed, he cuddles the hat as he falls asleep, finding sleep easier once he has something of Harry's.  
  
***

  
"Niall!" Harry calls. He's been rummaging around in his drawers for ages looking for his favourite green beanie, it just vanished.  
"Yeah?" Niall says as he appears at the doorway.  
"Have you seen my green beanie anywhere? I've got to get on the bus to see Louis and I can't find it anywhere" his hair was just not cooperating with him today and he wanted to look at least somewhat nice for the doctors.  
Niall shakes his head.  
"Sorry mate, I haven't" he shrugs and leaves Harry.   
Defeatedly, Harry pulls on his grey beanie over his head and heads to the bus stop. He probably looks even worse now but frankly he's just a bit pissed off that he can't find it. It's his favourite.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I know I know I'm awful, last week I had a wedding and I lost my voice and overall felt awful and tired, so I really do apologize for not uploading last week. I hope you enjoy the chapter.   
> Once again thank you all for all the feedback, it's always appreciated. I hope you all have an amazing week.


	9. Chapter 8

Harry caught the bus just in time but it still didn’t do anything to lift the grumbly mood that he was put in when he couldn’t find his favourite hat. It sounds silly but it’s the only one that makes him look… right. In any other one his curls find their way out and he ends up looking like a toddler with a hat their mum has just put on them. No he doesn’t like it at all and it’s just put him in a completely foul mood.

Liam even knew there was something up with him and when Harry told him he just rolled his eyes and opened the door to Louis’ room.  
And there it was.  
On top of Louis’ head.

Of course.

“Mind telling me why my hat is on your head?” he sighed and sat in his chair, Louis has a very wide grin on his face, so wide in fact that his eyes were just slits.

“I got a presennnnnttt” he smiled and readjusted the hat.

“I can see that, the thing I want to know is is how did you get it?” Harry hated to admit it but it did look good on him. Even though he obtained it in illegal circumstances, ugh. Why did he say yes to this whole interviewing thing, though okay fine Louis is one of the most interesting people he’s ever met...yes he’s a psychopathic serial killer, but if you overlooked that he’s an alright guy really. It seems that being around Louis is making Harry go slightly mad himself.

“A friend broke into your house, got it for me. I love itttt” he smiled again, how could a hat make him this happy, now Harry’s certain Louis has got some sort of thing for him. He doesn’t know how to feel about it.  
“Zayn?”  
“Hm?”  
“Was the friend Zayn?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about my love, I don’t know anyone called Zayn haven’t I told you that before?”

“Well yes b-”  
“Then I don’t know anyone called Zayn”  
“Bu-”  
“Harry” he practically growled which made Harry shut up pretty quickly.

“I don’t know anyone, called Zayn” he was trying to contain his anger and was doing so quite well but Harry was still a bit scared. Rule number one Harry do not make a psychopath angry, you’re an idiot.

“Okay… but could you just ask your ‘friend’ to not break in again”  
“Of course love I wouldn’t want you to get frightened”  
“Thanks?”

“No problem”

There was a few seconds of silence before Harry spoke again.  
“Can I have it back?”  
“No”

“Please?”  
“NO!” Harry jumped, Louis actually shouted at him.  
“Oh no, no no no I’m sorry”

"It's alright" Harry sighs and puts a hand up, Louis slumps back in his chair, his original cocky stance knocked down a notch.  
"So how's you and blowjob buddy?" Louis raises an eyebrow, he knows this question makes Harry uncomfortable because Harry and Niall are just very close friends, he couldn't see them being anything more so just the mention of something sexual between him and Niall just makes him feel very perplexed. Louis loves to make Harry feel uncomfortable. Whether it be him just complimenting what he's wearing, making a comment about his 'blowjob lips' or reprimanding him for something he said, Louis knows all the different ways to annoy Harry. He knows every button to push and he's just having fun with it, pushing one or more to see what happens and if it provokes an acceptable reaction he'll use it again. Hence why he keeps bringing up Niall and calling him Harry's 'blowjob buddy'.  
"Louis we've been over this"  
"True. But I just love to watch your lips, I bet they loved being wrapped around Niall's cock right?"  
"Louis we are just friends stop being so blatantly ignorant you idiotic twat" Harry sits back... and then he realises what he's done. Oh shit. He risks glancing up at Louis and he really wishes he hadn't. Louis is just staring at him with a look of disbelief, that he just can't believe Harry just spoke to him like that, let's just say Harry's extremely grateful they got a stronger pair of handcuffs for him. Or else he's pretty sure he'd be dead by now. Dead or severely injured.  
They're both just sitting there, Harry looking down at his hands in his lap, Louis glaring at him. He doesn't even have to look up again he knows Louis is still staring at him with that same look.  
It seems like hours when Louis shifts in his chair and speaks.  
"Getting a bit defensive aren't we?" What. Harry can't believe it. He just called a psychotic serial killer an idiotic twat and he doesn't even get the slightest telling off. Or injury. No. Something's up. He wouldn't let it go that easily. Louis isn't as simple as that.  
"I don't like Niall that way, never have never will, I have no 'blowjob buddy' so will you please just... drop it?" Louis nods but Harry knows that in a few weeks he'll be at it again. Digging at him, seeing what'll happen next.  
"Aw no blowjob buddy for Haz?" Harry shakes his head and as if it was some sort of divine intervention Liam pops his head round the door signalling that time's up. The guards come in but of course Louis has some lasting final words for Harry.  
"If I ever find out there is a blowjob buddy love, I'll make sure there'll be nothing there for you to wrap your pretty lips around anymore" with a smile he leaves and Harry knows his life will never truly be the same with Louis around.

**  
**

***

Life was good. Life was good with Harry. Louis could sit in his bed all day long and just think about him. His interesting face. Green green eyes. Curly hair, really curly, he wants to get himself tangled in it it looks so interesting. Harry’s just interesting and that’s what he likes about him. How could you not be intrigued by him? His adorable little look of confusion when Louis catches him off guard, a look of cute frustration when he mentions Niall. Louis loves it. It’s just… cute.  
“Someone off in a fantasy about a certain curly headed guy” Louis turns his head to a smiling Zayn, no presents for him today. Shame. He’s still wearing the beanie, has it on all the time apart from shower time, Harry’s smell is wearing off so Louis is savouring every last bit of it. It’s important.  
“Zaynie, any news for me?” he groans when Zayn shakes his head, it’s the Niall kid getting into his head, fucking everything up.  
“Look Zayn I asked you to get a bit closer to Niall, a bit, he’s messing up your head I can see it” Love. Louis wonders what it’s like, must feel a bit weird, someone in your head constantly and you can’t control yourself around them. Whilst Louis was off killing people he’d sometimes come across loved up young couples, it brought him great pleasure to kill off one of them. It made him sick really, love. It’s pointless.

“I haven’t seen him in ages Lou, I swear”  
“Don’t lie to me”  
“I swear!” Louis lets out an emotionless laugh.  
“Just get out”

The sooner he was out of this place, the sooner Niall would be out of the picture and the sooner he’d have Harry all to himself. That’ll be a great day.

  
***  
Zayn has thought over what Louis had said to him. Over and over. He goes off in a trance and Liam has to bring him back again, Niall's affected him and that wasn't part of the plan at all.   
Louis' disappointed with him but he couldn't stop it, he couldn't just stop his feelings for Niall as soon as the came. They're just there now and don't seem to be going away anytime soon.   
Yes he has been meeting up with Niall for what he originally thought was just a friendly coffee date, friends, nothing more. Friends. But Zayn knew with the way Niall seemed to be hanging on his every word and the endless smiles that Niall was beginning to feel the same way. Zayn'll tell Louis though that it'll be very beneficial to have Niall around because he could help a lot, getting stuff of Harry's for Louis, helping Zayn... in ways that are not just for Louis. Niall will be useful, he just needs to get Louis to see that.  
"When are you going to let me introduce you to Harry?" this shook Zayn out of his little daydream with Niall looking at him expectantly.  
Shit. He's been avoiding this for way too long, obviously as soon as Harry sees Zayn he's going to go mad, will probably get him to lose the job too and that's something Zayn really doesn't want. He needs that job. Louis needs him to have that job.   
"I'm sorry babe I've just got so much to do" yeah, going home to watch reruns of The Big Bang Theory and Family Guy whilst trying to see how many Pringles he can fit into his mouth. Busy.  
Niall frowns, a proper puppy dog frown. If he keeps this up Zayn's going to end up agreeing to whatever he says no matter how mad it is. Zayn can be a really bad loved up sap, he ends up just spreading the love to everyone and walking around like he's on cloud nine all day everyday. With Niall they're both at it, they're one of those annoying couples that just look too happy. Zayn would probably do anything for Niall.

***

“So Gemma said that she found the same shirt at Topshop for 15 quid, couldn’t believe it, I spent 30 on mine” Tabatha had been blathering on about her and Gemma for about half an hour, Harry was actually listening for like the first fifteen minutes. He loves his sister, he really does but he doesn’t particularly care about how much she spent on a shirt.  
“Harry” Tabatha was looking at him with that.. look. The one where they feel sorry for you and they don’t know what to do, if Tabatha has started doing that now then he’s fucked. He hates it. Even Niall as started it.   
“Will you stop looking at me as if I’m an abandoned puppy or something” Tabatha shifts in her chair thinking of a response, Harry has just been taking these looks up until now, now he’s had enough.  
“Look mate, we’re just… worried about you?” she doesn’t like to really talk about this stuff at all so having to do so is probably annoying her. She tends to leave this to Gemma or Niall.  
“Well don’t be, I’m fine” he is. He really is, they’re making it sound like he’s the one in the mad house.  
“Alright alright, I’m just mentioning it”

A period of comfortable silence fell into place as they sipped their teas in Harry and Niall’s flat, that was until Harry’s phone began blaring some The 1975 song. He snapped his phone up off the table, Tabatha was rolling her eyes for some reason. Harry thinks she just does this out of habit she does it so often.  


“Hello?”

“Harry” it was Liam, he never usually calls him.  
“Liam, hi how are you”

“Harry I’m a bit busy at the moment so I’m going to just say it straight out, you can’t visit Louis this week”

Oh what did he do now.  
Harry sighs “Why?”  
“He got into a bit of a… scuffle with Dr. Malik, Dr. Malik is in the Institution’s hospital now and Louis is not allowed visitors for the rest of the week now” Liam sounded incredibly bored, like this was a frequent thing when it wasn’t actually, Louis was quite well behaved.  
“Alright, thanks Liam”  
“What happened?” Tabatha asks putting her cup down and getting her coat.  
“He got into a fight with one of the doctors and I’m not seeing him this week, s’alright”  
“Well personally mate I think it’s for the best if you take a break from him for a while” Harry shrugs and Tabatha leaves. Maybe she’s right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I know I'm awful for not posting for so long it's just I was incredibly busy, dealing with some personal stuff as well and to be honest I'm disappointed with myself for giving you this not so great chapter after so long but alas it's there and I hope you somewhat enjoyed it.  
> This amazing person called papi-louis on Tumblr made me an amazing edit for this story, I couldn't believe it. It's amazing and I can't say thank you enough to them for doing this for me because Gone is one of their favourite stories, just... wow. http://papi-louis.tumblr.com/post/79713476273/gone-hazelfae-oh-youre-just-beautiful-arent check it out here and tell them they're a fantastic edit maker because damn look at it.  
> Thanks so much for reading and all your feedback is appreciated, thank you.


	10. Chapter 9

"Zayn my boy, anything new for me?"  
"Er" he scratched the back of his neck nervously. This should be good.  
"If you count Niall breaking up with me then yeah" Louis simply just stared at Zayn for a few minutes... before he completely lost it.  
Pushing him up against the stone wall beside him, yes Louis was a tad shorter than Zayn but when he's this angry it doesn't matter. When he's in his room his handcuffs get taken off, when someone comes in they get put on again. Zayn doesn't put them on.  
"YOU FUCKING IDIOT WE NEEDED HIM"  
"I'm sorry Louis! I'm sorry!"  
"Oh you think that's good enough? That I'm just going to let it go? How the fuck am I ever going to get out of here without his help?! Oh Zaynie boy doesn't think of these things no. You're constantly looking for ways to make me upset"  
"No I'm not I swear!"  
"Stupid boy. You need to be taught a lesson. You do not ever upset me Zayn I thought I told you that before, maybe you learned last time, doesn't seem like it" he pushes Zayn onto the ground.  
"No I have Louis I really have I'll never do it again, please don't do this!" Louis kicks him in the mouth to silence him then just continues the relentless assault until Zayn has stopped moving and when people start to drag him off him.  
***  
"Stupid cow" Harry mutters to himself as he walks into the all too familiar building. Louis had actually requested to see him. Well requested as in threw one of his famous tantrums until they did what he wanted him to do, he was in solitary confinement which was basically a room much smaller than his own and he was rarely visited by doctors. There's been no update on the health of Dr. Malik so Harry knows to just mention him to see how badly Louis beat him, poor guy. It really intrigues Harry as to why Louis would lash out at a random doctor, did he mention something about his mum or Stan? Those are the only two topics that Harry knows Louis does not like to talk about at all, so maybe the poor unfortunate doctor didn't get the memo.  
Louis is a stupid cow simply because he couldn't control his anger enough and got locked up in there. He knows his actions have consequences, especially something as severe as this. Then again who knows, maybe that outburst was somewhat controlled.  
Liam meets him in the reception and begins to guide Harry through a maze of corridors, doors that can only be opened with a special key card, more corridors, stairs, Harry thinks they've probably walked the length of London by the time Liam stops at a door. Harry can hear the screams and unnerving noises coming from prisoners locked up in the other solitary confinement rooms. Liam turns to Harry and begins speaking in a hushed tone.  
"Now I don't want to frighten you, but there are no security cameras in the room, we don't watch him at all. He doesn't know that though, he's probably so paranoid he thinks there's a hidden camera somewhere. If there's trouble with him just ring me, you don't have to say anything I'll know that you want to be taken out. There are security cameras at the entrance of the corridor and on each room door but that's it. Have you got any questions?"  
"Why have you not got guards?" That would help.  
"We used to, years ago, we found that the prisoners responded better when they knew no one was there to listen to them, plus some guards just couldn't stand it, it does get quite overwhelming down here so we stopped having guards. Is that all?"  
Harry nods.  
"Good. Now I will be locking the door, he's handcuffed and his legs are cuffed as well. He can't move so don't worry. Remember, ring me okay?"  
Harry nods again and Liam unlocks the door, pushing Harry gently into the small room. There's one lightbulb hanging from the ceiling which illuminates the place quite brightly, the room was very small, just enough for two people. Louis looked awful, he just looked completely exhausted. He gave Harry a weak smile. The door closes behind Harry and he jumps slightly.  
"Hello my love"  
"You wanted to see me?"  
"I did"  
"Why?"  
"Well they took your beanie away from me when I came in here so, why not have the real thing?" He smiles again, for someone who has been locked down here for a week he's quite chirpy. Louis clears his throat and gesturesfor Harry to join him sitting on the floor by bobbing his head down, Louis is slumped in a strange way because he can't move his arms or legs, the position he's in can't possibly be comfortable.  
He clears his throat.  
"Liam. Silly kid forgot that the doors are not exactly soundproof"  
"Heard everything?"  
"Yep. Nice to know that if I ever make a run for it Terence the burly security guard won't be there to stop me"  
"Terence?"  
"Them" he jerks his head towards the wall.  
"All they scream about is 'Terence help us!' 'Please get us out!' Eugh. They're pathetic"  
Terence was obviously the last security guard that Liam was talking about. The prisoners have no idea that he left the job ages ago.  
"How so?"  
"They've exhausted every possible option with themselves. Can't even rely on themselves to stay with it you know? They can't take being down here anymore where they think no one will pay any attention to them, they try to get Terence's attention, just to hear his voice. To know that there's something else to break the screams" Louis casts his eyes around the small room. The only amenity he has is a toilet and sink. Even they are just crammed into the tiny space.  
"Harry I know what they think and I know who they are and it's weird. I'm one of them yet I don't think the same way. I don't care about any of this. They still have some sort of emotion left in them that they'll lay awake and cry about being down here all night, they'd probably still do it when they're back up in their rooms. I just don't feel anything. Nothing" Harry nods, he feels as if Louis just needs some time to vent so he's going to let him do so.  
"My mother and most of her... sugardaddies, were homophobic. Disgustingly so. Want to know why?" He looks up at Harry who simply nods.  
"If I was ever caught by her or any of her men, playing with dolls, messing with her clothes and makeup, I was beaten. I was about five. I didn't know what being gay was. I was a child. They hated me. They found me disgusting. Mum would always say 'No naughty Louis! No playing with girly things you're a big boy. You like girls, you're not supposed to act like them it's very naughty!' Of course her men would use more vulgar words, 'faggot' was thrown at me on a daily basis. I was constantly told by them that I needed to be straight. With a perfect life and family. I was a child, I didn't know or care about any of this stuff, but they just prevented me showing any signs of being gay because they thought it was horrible" he pauses and takes a deep breath.  
"I hate her" another deep breath.  
"That's why I left them like that you know" Harry perks up, Louis is still staring at the ground in front of him though.  
"Who?"  
"I think it's obvious"  
"Your victims?"  
"No my shoes. What do you fucking think Harry, yes the victims. They were left in such a straight way because I was constantly being told by my own mum to be straight and perfect. Simple as that" Harry can't believe that he got this information.  
"W-what about the mutilations? What about them?"  
"I'm the last thing they saw, last thing they touched and the last thing they breathed" that perfectly explains the mutilations he left on every single body. Harry can hardly believe his luck. Louis lets out a long sigh.  
"Quite beautiful actually"  
"What is?"  
"I get to savour their last moments, then I get little souvenirs to remind myself of it. Now I know what you're thinking, what did I do do the hands and eyes?" Harry hesitates but nods.  
"To make sure they wouldn't be found I burnt them first, then ground up the bones and scattered it in the river. Simple really. They didn't get it though, thought I ate them or something. Not for cannibalism me, too chewy"  
Harry swallows the bile that rose up in his throat when Louis mentioned actually eating them. He had a feeling that that's one of the things Louis just wouldn't do.  
"Just random people. I'd stalk them for a while, find out more about them y'know get a feel for them, then I'd find them and, well obviously you know what happens next"  
"But why?"  
"Why is the sky blue, the grass green, why did Tarzan never grow a beard when he lived in the jungle all of his life now that I'd love to know. I just...do things love, there's no specific reason, just to kind of vent my anger that has built up over the years on these people and use their bodies as a canvas. I'm no strategist, I don't have a plan, I just ride the wave and see where I go next"  
"The investigators think you picked the victims specifically though, that they had some personal connection to you"  
"Some did"  
"Some?"  
"Like... Seven?"  
"Who were they?"  
"My mums sugar daddies"  
"All the others were just random?"  
"Yep. I don't know why you find that so hard to believe"  
"I don't. It's just I thought they'd be somehow linked or something"  
"Really? How so?"  
"Like if they were all homophobic or something"  
"Homophobic? No, I don't care if someone is or not, not my problem, they were just totally random love. I'd pick them out as I was walking past them on the street"  
There was the sound of the door being unlocked and then it creaked open, Liam popped his his around the door.  
"Time to go Harry"  
"Same time next week alright?" Louis asks, Harry knows that he's the only thing Louis has to look forward to so reluctantly he nods and Louis smiles widely. Harry still finds it strange that something so small can make someone so happy and as he looks back to the grinning tousled hair, blue eyed man, who honestly looks like he just doesn't belong here, he feels a pang of guilt for thinking insulting things about him or bitching about him to others.  
Harry decides not to tell Liam about Louis' new revelations even though Louis didn't say anything about not telling him. Louis must have known that Harry wouldn't, he trusted him. Trusted by a serial killer. Now that's one to add to the CV.

***  
Niall walks into the living room holding two takeaway flyers, as Harry is getting paid to interview Louis, takeaways aren't just a rare luxury anymore.  
"Chinese or pizza?" Harry briefly looks up from his laptop where he's typing up another essay.  
"Pizza. I'm in the mood for a pepperoni what about you?"  
"That doesn't sound too bad at all, I'm starving"  
Harry smiles at his screen, he loves Niall, he really does. His life would be a lot more dull without him.  
"You ate about an hour ago?"  
"I'm always hungry for pizza, who isn't?" He rings the pizza place and orders for them then joins Harry on the couch with a book. It's coming up to the summer so the exams are well and truly in full swing. Harry's professor doesn't necessarily believe in exams so gets his students to do projects on various criminal psychology related topics. Harry just needs to finish up the essay, gather up all his information and hand it in. The only problem is is that it's due tomorrow and Harry's only half way through the essay, to make matters worse he's been hit with writers block and it doesn't seem to be budging anytime soon.  
"So how's Zayn?" Harry just decides to take a break and closes his laptop and pops it on the table. It can wait. His eyes hurt.  
Niall flicks a page.  
"Oh... yeah. Zayn, yeah we kind of broke it off" he shrugs.  
"What? Why what happened I thought you two were fine"  
"So did I, but he just outright refused to meet you and it sort of insulted me. You're my best mate and be just completely refused to meet you. He doesn't even know you, who does that?" He looks up at Harry as if Harry as an answer but Harry just shakes his head and looks down.  
"You don't have to worry about bringing people home to me. I'm not your mother or something it's alright"  
"No no, I just really want them to meet you, just to say hello even"  
"That's strange though. Maybe I like pushed him away to get on a bus or something and he's just always remembered it, like a crow"  
"A crow?"  
"Yeah they remember the faces of people who've mistreated them"  
"No wonder I'm constantly being followed by at least one of the fuckers wherever I go"  
"I know, describe him, I'm going to see if I can recall ever mistreating a fellow commuter when I do be in my grumbly public transport mode"  
"Hmm. Let's see. Black hair, tattoos, tanned skin, brown eyes, perfect teeth... not really tall... that ring a bell?"  
Oh it does alright.  
"Did you ever get his last name?"  
"Yeah, course, it's Malik"  
Oh for fuck sake.  
"Malik. You're serious?"  
"Yeah... you know him?"  
"Oh yeah. He happens to be one of Louis' doctors at the institution, he's in hospital now though because he got beaten up by Louis"  
"What?! Are you sure because I swear he never mentioned anything about being a doctor, he didn't mention anything about any job"  
Harry thinks for a minute.  
"Forged documents?"  
"I doubt it I mean why would Louis need him? Company when you're not there?"  
"I really don't know. Wow. This has just turned weird now. I was just thinking that I've settled down nicely into my weekly visits well this has kind of thrown everything down the plug hole. Lovely"  
"This is weird"  
"Too weird"  
"Look maybe he just wants some company, someone he's known for a long time?" Harry nods but he's still not sure.  
After that the conversation lulls into a discussion about the latest Manchester United match as they eat their pizza. Niall seems relatively unfazed by the new revelations, then again nothing would bother that boy. The world could be ending and he'd just say "okay" and go back to sleep. Harry admires those qualities and wishes he could have them.  
Niall heads off to bed and Harry stays up for another while, he decides to abandon the essay and take to researching Louis' victims. A bit of a break won't hurt.  
Turns out Louis has told a little bit of a white lie.

***  
"I have a serious bone to pick with you" Harry says to Louis as soon as the door closes behind him, he's still in solitary confinement because he decided to 'accidentally' threaten one of the doctors who came to check on him.  
Louis, sitting on the floor, leans back against the wall as an amused expression settles on his face.  
"Really? I'm all ears love"  
"First of all you lied about you choosing your victims because they were homophobic, most of them were"  
Louis hesitates for a minute  
"Coincidence"  
"You've got one of your 'pals' to forge documents to become a doctor?"  
"Ah. Was wondering how long it would take you to figure that out"  
"He's still in hospital you know"  
"Oh. Strange I thought I went easy on him"  
"He's in a coma"  
"Oh. Whoops"  
Harry slides down the wall and pinches the bridge of his nose.  
"Why did you lie?"  
"Because I knew you being the smart boy that you are would be too curious and research. I lied when you were here because I had a feeling you'd leave"  
"I wouldn't have"  
"Good to know"  
"You targeted homophobic people up until the last few months of your killings, then you just resorted to killing random people"  
"See. You're very clever"  
"But why?"  
"Those people, had either directly affected me or some of my gay friends, they probably made a passing comment about me and a boyfriend walking around in town and I remembered. Remembered their faces and asked around. Made sure I'd know exactly who they are. Why is it so difficult for people to just let people love who they want to love?"  
Harry really doesn't know what to say other than the "I don't know" he manages to utter out.  
"I don't know either. I don't think anyone will ever know"  
"So why did you resort to random people?"  
"Um... fun? Yeah just for fun"  
"You don't seem so sure"  
"Fun, it was for fun. If they annoyed me, let's say if they had an annoying laugh I'd be forced to listen to in a restaurant or if they were very lovey dovey, then that would influence me to do it"  
Harry nods and silence falls upon them.  
"You know that if you were to tell them everything I've told you in the past two visits they'd say 'oh that's all we needed to know, thanks for your help' and send you on your way, never asking you to come back again"  
"I know"  
"Then why don't you? Relieve yourself of this burden, get on with your life"  
"Because... I can't?"  
"You can't?"  
"No"  
"What do you mean?"  
"I don't know. I'll come up with an explanation eventually but for now" Harry stands up and pulls a beanie out of his pocket and pops it on Louis' head.  
"Because they got rid of the other one"  
Louis smile is so wide that he gets that cat like look again and admittedly it is cute. They talk about different pointless things until Liam tells him it's time to go.  
"Harry" Louis says just as Harry is going out the door.  
"Yeah?"  
"Thanks for coming for so long"  
Harry gives him a right lipped smile and nods, having to face a curious Liam afterwards.

***  
The day after Harry's visit to Louis, Niall decided that they should both go to a pub, drown their sorrows and bring Tabatha along. She doesn't drink and neither does Harry much really but with the latest revelations from Louis he could down a whole bottle of vodka.  
"So your guy was Louis' guy?" Tabatha asks, Niall just slurred his way through his idea of an explanation.  
"No no, Greek Adonis guy was- is Louis' friend, then Niall!" Harry points at Niall.  
"Goes off and fucks him! Fucks the pally pal of a serial kil-" Tabatha claps a hand over his mouth. Earning a few looks from other people in the pub.  
"Keep your voice down you lanky man child!" Harry giggles at her comment and Niall nearly falls off his chair from laughing so much.  
Harry's happy. Deliriously happy. For once he's not thinking too much of Louis, he doesn't have to worry about exams. Life is good.  
"It's like looking after two toddlers" Tabatha sighs and the two man children toast to that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3.3k this chapter is. Enjoy me lovelies.  
> 


	11. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again.

Louis has his ball again. Thumping it off the wall. He kept complaining to Liam about how bored he was and with a bit of convincing... and maybe some screaming, he let Louis have his ball.

Louis was in solitary confinement for a further two weeks, his time in there is prolonged every week Zayn is still in hospital. Louis has absolutely no idea how he is and if he's being honest he doesn't particularly care either.

When Liam saw Harry's beanie on Louis' head all he did was roll his eyes, he wouldn't dare take it off him. This one is even more special because Harry gave it to him himself.  He wears it everyday. When officers come in to bring him in and out of the shower room they don't say anything either, when they're done they pop it back on his head and throw him back in his cell.

"LOUIS IF YOU DON’T STOP THAT FUCKING BANGING" John. Louis is partially playing with his ball just to get to him as well. It's quite difficult to throw and catch the ball with handcuffs on but he manages... just.

"Shaking in my shoes Johnny boy!" He smiles and goes back to throwing his ball.

"YOU SHOULD BE" the other prisoners down there don't care at all, they're too busy wallowing in their own self pity then bothering to care about what others are doing. John doesn't really like Louis for some reason though. The thud of the ball against the wall is almost soothing, therapeutic. Only thing that keeps him from joining in on the chorus of groans and shouts when Harry's not around.

He doesn't know how long it's been before his lovely special boy comes in. He lets out a sigh and grins at him. Harry returns it with a sheepish one, Louis' smile falters, he's still scared of him. No. It shouldn't be like that.

"You're still scared of me" Harry slides down the opposite wall. He's wearing a fedora today, very dapper indeed.

"No" Louis shakes his head.

"Why- why do you think you can lie when you know I can see right through it. Right through you. You're scared of me" and I don't like it one bit he wanted to add but thought it was best to keep that to himself.

"You have the capability to kill me with your bare hands" Louis shakes his handcuffs at him. If he wanted to yes he could kill him with the handcuffs on but he doesn't want to hurt Harry. That'd be bad.

"Do you still know how to take them off?" Well he's going to find out anyways. He nods and Harry sighs. Harry trains his gaze to the wall Louis is leaning against and they sit in silence.

"Take them off"

"What?"

"Take them off" he bobs his head down to Louis' cuffed wrists.

"The cuffs. Take them off"

"Why?"

"You're not going to hurt me are you?" Louis shakes his head.

Harry lets out a deep breath.

"Would you ever hurt me?" again Louis shakes his head, he really wouldn't.

"Take them off"

Louis nods. "Right"

He moves his tongue around his mouth until his pin can be moved to the front, he holds it between his lips and spits it out onto the floor in front of him. Harry watches all of this eagerly, like he's absolutely amazed at the fact that Louis can actually open handcuffs even though he has been scared by him doing it a number of times.

Louis picks up the pin and angles it so it fits into the lock of his cuff and fiddles around with it until he hears the click, he does the same with the other wrist and then rolls them around when they're free.

"Ta da" he says and gives a small flourish with his hands. Harry just stares down at them. Louis is just screaming in his head. Screaming at him to stop being scared of him, he'll never ever hurt him.

Harry nods and brings his gaze up to meet Louis'.

"Okay?" Louis asks. He's really not by the looks of him. He looks like he's about to pass out.

"Yep. M'fine"

"Then stop staring at my hands like I'm about to strangle you and just talk to me" Harry takes a moment to realise what Louis said then quickly nods and divulges into a conversation about how he's doing in his class, Niall and his job.

"Oh where do you work?" Louis knows he probably didn't mean to mention his work but now he has there's no going back, Louis will keep pestering him until he finds out where he works.

"Um... Starbucks" the three seconds of silence that follows is interrupted by Louis' hysterical laughter. Harry smirks and Louis keeps laughing.

"Star- Starbucks?!"

"Yep"

"You hate coffee!"

"It does other things"

"Y-you've got the most stereotypical job that every girl in fictional stories have how do you feel?" More laughter.

"Feeling just fine"

"Jesus that's awful Harry" Harry nods.

"I know. Pays the bills though" it seems like Louis is laughing for ages until he finally just nods.

"Suppose it does Haz. I suppose it does"

"Did you hear about doctor Malik?" Eugh.

"No. Kind of don't hear a lot around here"

"Right. Sorry I forgot" Harry says seemingly in a panic and stays quiet for a while until Louis motions for him to continue.

"Oh yeah. He's out now. Back in work and is willing to work on your team again, took a lot of convincing from doctor Payne but he's doing it"

"Joy"

"You'll be out of here soon"

"Really?" Oh he doesn't know.

"Yeah. You're only down here for a few more days"

Louis lies back and stretches out his legs and arms.

"I don't know. I like it, it's homely" Harry looks around.

"Suppose it is. In a claustrophobic way"

"Luckily I'm not though, Barry is. He's been hyperventilating. They have to keep an eye on him. There's a camera in his cell"

"Do you think there's any in yours?" Ha. This tactic. Sad. He expected more from Harry.

Louis tilts his head and shoots Harry a challenging look.

"Harry I'm a lot of things but I'm not stupid. There's no camera. I'd know"

"How?"

"Well they'd hardly be able to conceal it" he gestures at the blank concrete walls around them.

"True true" Harry bobs his head in agreement. Louis drums his fingers on his knee, this small action causes Harry to divert his attention back to Louis’ hands again.

“Harry” his eyes flick up and Louis’ not sure what he sees in them, fear, contentment, all of his emotions are concealed. Anything could be going on in that mind, that beautiful mind. Louis wonders if Harry’s family properly appreciates him for how amazing he is. He’s just such a good person, probably the most genuinely good person Louis knows. For obvious reasons Louis doesn’t trust a lot of people, but he really trusts Harry, he doesn’t know why, he just does. Being around Harry just puts him at ease. Once a week, once a week he sees him and it just puts him at ease for the rest of the week. It takes someone truly special to do that, someone with the ability and level of kindness that no doctor could ever show. Louis' hands seem to have a mind of their own all of a sudden as he takes Harry's hands in his and waits until Harry's breathing has returned back to normal.

“Don’t be afraid of me. Please”

 

***

After weeks of recovery time, Zayn is back at work with a fixed smile on his face that makes it look like he really really wants to be here when he really really doesn’t. He deserved the beating Louis gave him, he knows that now. So he’s going to make Louis proud of him again and get back with Niall, then all of his problems will be solved. Yes. It’ll be fine.  
“Zayn!” Liam smiles at him and pulls him into a hug. Zayn looks the same, he had to have surgery to repair his broken nose, have two teeth replaced and did have lips that looked like the worlds supply of botox had been put in them, but he’s fine now. He’s fine.  
“Hi! How have you been?” Zayn pulls away and Liam is grinning from ear to ear like a child at Christmas.   
“Fantastic, great yeah, not been the same without you around though”

Zayn smiled and uttered a small thank you. Liam is truly just a lovely person.

"How's Louis been doing?"

Liam sighs.

"Fine. The usual really, whining if he doesn't get what he wants, not cooperating with doctors, he'll only lighten up with Harry comes to visit"

"Best keep Harry visiting then" Liam nods and goes over to help another doctor, Zayn thinks her name is Frida, and leaves him to look over any new additions to Louis' file.

Louis' file is always intriguing, Zayn has read it many many times but each time is still as interesting as the last.

'Status: Psychopathic (can be dangerous)'

He flicks over to the last few pages

'Tomlinson managed to escape from his handcuffs whilst in solitary confinement. A complete search of the room brought up nothing that could've been used to help him do so. Told Tomlinson that if he continued to release himself from his handcuffs that his visits with Mr. Styles would he supervised, he has not tried to unlock then since'

Zayn shakes his head, Harry must have been shitting himself, alone in a room with a psychopathic serial killer who just unlocked his handcuffs as if it were nothing, Zayn knows that if it were him in that situation he would've been absolutely terrified.

"Do you want to go on lunch? I'm sure I could handle him for a bit" he had to get it done and over with some time. Liam looks up from the notes another doctor handed him with that classic 'apprehensive caring' look, it was as if a young child had gone up to their father to ask if they could go the playground alone.

"I don't think that would be a good idea Zayn" he shook his head. Damn. He was way too much like a doting father for his own good. Break out the acting skills Zayn.

"Look, I have to face him sometime, if I don't do it now I'll never do it, I'll keep putting it off. I need to show him that he hasn't won and we're the ones in charge, not him" Oscar winning performance, Leonardo di Caprio can wait a little longer for his.

Liam looks up again and reluctantly agrees for Zayn to be left alone with Louis. Him and the other doctors clear out and it's only Zayn and Louis. Louis of course being on the other side of the glass but he probably knows that Zayn is there anyways, somehow, in a way that Zayn won't even try to figure out.

He makes sure the coast is clear and opens the door to Louis' room.

"Zaynie! How I've missed you!"

"Thanks"

Louis scrunches his face up, he does this when he’s really trying to figure something out. Trying to suss out a person and what they’re thinking. Louis usually doesn’t give much away with his facial expressions, they don’t stray away from his usual bored look and a smug one. Zayn has known Louis for… way too long, he’s figured out his body language and way of speaking. Louis may not communicate his emotions through words but Zayn can usually see it through the way he’s looking at something or the way he’s standing.

Anyone, absolutely anyone could figure out when Louis is angry. You’d definitely know when you see it.

“Something wrong?” Louis asks, his face now relaxed and set into his bored look. _You nearly killed me but other than that no I’m as right as rain._

“No nothing. I’m fine”

“Good. Now, we don’t have long to prepare so lets go over it again”

 

***

Why would he ask him that? This is the thing with Louis, he’ll just come out with anything, anything at all from ‘what’s the weather like at the moment?’ to ‘so how long’s your dick on a scale of cucumber to baseball bat?’.

Harry’s sat in front of Louis and he’s just asked him something completely out of the blue, he really can’t get his head around it.

“Harry. Would you have my back through… anything?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m just wondering… can’t I?”

“You can… yeah… um…” it takes Harry another few seconds before he eventually speaks again and his answer baffles himself.

“Yeah. I would”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well. I'm expecting to be greeted by angry people with pitchforks and tutting but after my (month long) hiatus, I'm finally back.  
> Where was I? Well I was extremely busy with various things, travelling, exams and I also went to the boys' 23rd of May Croke Park gig. It was absolutely amazing (and I have to say 5SOS are a truly brilliant band, it was hypothermic weather and they never once complained of the cold.  
> I just want to say that I am back, I won't be leaving randomly again for a month. I'm getting my summer holidays very very soon and during that time I'll probably finish this story.  
> So I hope you enjoy this chapter and I'm very sorry for the wait.


	12. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a big announcement in the end notes so yeah.

"You said what?!" Tabatha nearly spat out her tea all over Harry when he told her what he told Louis.  
"Harry having someone's back can mean a lot of things. Even more for a fucking psychopathic serial killer"   
"I've been talking to him for months now, I just felt... like it was the right thing to say?"  
"You don't sound so sure" she took a sip of tea and held the mug tightly in her hands, her hands were always cold for some reason.  
"No I am. I'm sure. I'm absolutely sure"  
"It's a big thing to say"  
"I know, I've really gotten to know him, him as a person, we've never dwelled on the fact that he's a murderer, he just expresses these new things to me that he wouldn't tell a doctor, according to them the only thing he shows any ounce of interest to is me and our visits"  
"I'd say he fancies you but you know, psychopath"  
"It's... scary to say the least"  
"That he may have a thing for you?"  
"Yeah"  
"Ask him? Just see how it goes"  
  
***  
"Oh yeah" oh. Harry wasn't really expecting that really.  
"But-"  
"I'm psychopathic I don't feel emotion and all the rest of it yes I know, just because you're decent looking doesn't mean my mental state is going to change, sorry love, but put it this way, I could seriously injure or kill you but I don't want to"  
"What an honour"  
"It is, so how's Niall and his fuck buddy?" he starts to throw his ball at the wall, just above Harry's head, Harry looks up to make sure he's not actually going to hit him then stares at the table with a pained expression.  
"You know about that"   
"Course I do, I know a lot of things I shouldn't, like Liam's girlfriend broke up with him last week, I know because he's been grumbly and the bracelet thing he wore with her name on it is gone. Do you not get the 'oh woe is me' air off him? Jesus it's practically palpable"  
"Can't say I did"  
"It's disgusting. Anyways you didn't answer my question" thump thump. He's probably going to hit Harry's head at some point, whether it be intentional or not, it'll happen. Sometimes Harry will make some form of comment in their conversations and it'll not go down well with Louis, he'll wear a look of disapproval for the rest of the conversation and just makes it dull until their time is up. It's like some sort of punishment for Harry slipping up, well now he has a solid rubber ball that he can bounce off his head if he wants. Great.  
"Well he hasn't mentioned him really to be honest, he doesn't seem to be to keen to get back with him since he's found out who he... surrounds himself with" he has to watch his words obviously because the doctors still listen to every word they're saying, analyzing Louis' way of talking, mannerisms, everything, they'll be watching as well. Louis gives him a nod and an over exaggerated wink at his attempt to be subtle at the mention of Zayn's 'friends'.  
"I hear they're good people, fun, keep you on your toes"  
"That's for sure" and that's when the ball's path diverts for Harry's forehead. He yelps in pain and presses a hand to to his forehead.  
"What'd you do that for?"  
"Didn't like your tone"  
Liam comes in then to cut their time short for that little mishap, he apologizes profusely to Harry then scolds Louis as if he was a child and takes his ball off him.  
"Liam" Liam really doesn't need to deal with this... diva of a man right now, he has better things to do... like finish watching the first season of New Girl, Sophia loved New Girl, and invest in a cat.  
"What?" Liam snaps just as he reaches the door.  
"Please get yourself laid soon, no one needs to be dealing with this frustration lad"

***  
"Maybe it's his way of flirting?" Niall offered. Harry shook his head and burrowed it in his arms which he has folded on the coffee table.  
"It's weird"  
"Can't help who you fall for"  
"He's a serial killer Niall! A fucking psychopath! I have the absolute worst luck with men, a murderer has now taken a shine to me wow. Just great" he's aware of how whiney he sounds but all of his emotions have just built up for this inevitable moment and now they're just crashing down on top of him. Niall's a good listener luckily.  
"Look now this might seem weird right" he sits up and looks like he's deciding on how to phrase what he's going to say next.  
"If... hm" he looks off again. Niall is a guy who is never lost for words, ever, whenever he meets someone new they eventually become a good friend of his most of the time because he's such a good speaker and he can always keep up a conversation. Harry wasn't really born with those same set of skills really so when he speaks to people he seems bored and maybe even a bit shy. Harry lifts his head up and he probably has an imprint of his sleeve on his forehead but he just really doesn't care at the moment.   
"Just say it Niall" Harry sighs and drops his head back onto his arms  
"What if he wasn't a murderer, just a normal guy walking through the streets, would you find him... Good looking... in any way"  
Harry raises his head slowly and blinks at Niall, he opens his mouth to instantly say 'no of course not' but nothing comes out and he realises that he doesn't want to say it, it's like his mind isn't letting him. He sits back and thinks, Niall picks up his plate of pizza and carries it off into the kitchen to leave Harry to his own thoughts.  
He's never really seen Louis in a romantic way, for obvious reasons, he's always stopped himself. Now however it seems that feelings have built up and he hasn't even realised it himself.  
Louis in a sense is quite beautiful, his personality may not be the best but strangely Harry likes it, he likes how he doesn't know anyone else with a personality like Louis' and how Louis is the most unique person he has ever met.   
"Yeah" Harry finally mumbles to the silence that has settled in the room, Niall comes in again and nods, he doesn't have to say any more, he's made Harry realise something that really scares him.  
  
***  
"Few more days Zaynie! How many is it now? Three? Four?"   
"Three"  
"Bet you can't wait" Zayn grins but he could wait, he doesn't care what Louis does at this point.  
"Right just wanted to say, that Niall isn't needed for this, it's fine don't worry about trying to get back with him just focus on the plan" Zayn nods, he has already got back with Niall and they've been dating for the past few weeks now, he doesn't see any point in telling Louis this though, it would probably just cause trouble.  
"Last time we'll see each other before it happens so tell me, start to finish, what's happening" Louis' eyes are just alight, he's been waiting for this moment for way too long now, it's his time to shine once again.  
  
***  
"We don't know what's happened, he's just fallen into a depression, he doesn't speak, he just stays in the one corner all day, you're our only chance at getting him back to normal" Harry had been called in by Liam because Louis seemingly has taken a turn for the worse. He doesn't know how this could have happened, he seemed fine the last time he talked to him.   
Harry walks in to the room and Louis doesn't even look up. Harry cocks his head as he slowly walks towards the huddled up figure, his head is buried in his arms and he seems to be whispering something over and over. As he gets closer Harry realises that he's whispering 'mummy' over and over again.  
"Louis?" Harry says softly, nothing. They've taken his handcuffs off, probably to try and get him to react because he loves having them off, must not have done anything.   
"Louis" Harry touches his shoulder and Louis reaches out and grabs his arm.  
"Don't touch me" he whispers harshly, he looks up and glares at Harry with such intensity that Harry feels like all the air has been sucked out of his body.   
"Harry are you okay?" Liam's voice comes over the tannoy, there's a microphone over by the one way glass that they recently installed as an easier way of quickly communicating with Louis, Harry walks over to it.  
"Yeah m'fine, just don't worry about what he does unless I say something, I'll be fine, maybe just give us a bit of privacy?"  
"That's fine we're meant to be on our break anyways" Liam gives a weak laugh, he agrees that they'll all leave the control room bar one doctor, who Harry presumes is Zayn. How nice, he'll offer to give up his lunch break to watch over a patient. So kind.  
"They're gone?" Louis asks and Harry nods.  
"I killed her you know"   
"What?"  
"Killed her. Killed my mum" somehow this doesn't surprise Harry, it's almost as if he expected it.  
"Really?"  
"Yeah, got sick of her always chasing after her sugar daddies, never really paying any attention to me, was a bit difficult I had to slip some rat poison I found in the back of the cupboard in her tea but yeah. She's dead"  
"So what's wrong?"  
"I miss her. Sometimes she stands right there in front of me and just asks 'why?', there's blood all over her, can you see her?" Louis has looked up by now and is staring just past Harry, studying something behind him, Harry looks behind him but sees nothing.  
"Er, yeah yeah, she's very pretty" Louis laughs.  
"Don't lie, you can't see her, I cut most of her face off so no one could find my mummy pretty any more" Harry looks at Louis with wide eyes but Louis is just still staring behind him, it's an admiring stare, like he finds what he sees to be just breathtaking.  
"She was a bitch but I loved her" the figure Louis sees seems to fade and he resorts to staring at Harry. He reaches out and touches Harry's face, Harry flinches but knows it's useless to try and stop him, his hands are freed, he should've expected for him to do something like this.  
"You're pretty, you have my back, you're my Harry" Harry just nods because if he were to say no, well, he'd most likely be dead within the next ten seconds.  
"I don't even know why they cuff me, I only stay in them because I choose to, they know I can pick any ones they put on me"  
"Good skill to have"  
"It is. It'll come in handy" he laughs at his little joke.  
They talk about different things for the remainder of the time, mostly about Harry, until Liam says it's time for Harry to go.   
"So. Anything?" Zayn who's behind him at a computer has a panicked expression and he mouths 'stall him'.  
"Er" Harry drags out and he sees that Zayn is deleting the CCTV footage of inside Louis' room.   
"No. Nothing actually, he was just a bit down I guess, got him talking though" Zayn gives him a thumbs up and for added effect  
"Oh fuck!" He knocks over his coffee onto the keyboard and Harry can't help but smirk. Liam looks absolutely terrified, must be the most excitement he's had all year.  
They spend the next while with sticky fingers and tissues. Harry really hates coffee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did I say? "I won't take another hiatus I'm back lallaaladidiah" and all that other bullshit. I'm so sorry. I've just been horribly lazy and I can't apologize enough I hope this chapter is good? ALSO yes the big announcement, the next chapter may be the end of the story. However I may drag it out for 2 chapters but I think next chapter will be the last.  
> Yes.


	13. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no see?

The day had started out as normal as any other day would for Harry, he'd carry out his morning routine then go off into the kitchen to make himself some tea and toast. It was the summer so he didn't have any classes and he was just enjoying the break, planning to go back home to visit his mum and sister. Niall was gone back to Ireland to visit his family, he was alone basically but he was one of those people that actually liked being alone. He just always felt more comfortable being left to his own devices, strangely though when he was growing up despite this he was never short of friends, no he wasn't popular but he always had friends luckily.

Niall had left a few days ago, it was a good decision because he also needed to get his mind off Zayn who had gotten incredibly persistent at making contact with him. Calling and texting several times a day, 'running into him' at college, conveniently being at the same places Niall would go to, he was evolving into some form of stalker that Niall wasn't entirely comfortable with. He let Zayn know that he wasn't interested in him anymore and to leave him alone but this didn't phase Zayn at all and he has persisted ever since.

Harry has had to stop seeing Louis, his mental state deteriorated rapidly after the visit where he has hallucinations of his mother, he won't talk at all now and is refusing to eat, apparently he just stays huddled up in a corner of his bed. They tried getting Harry in one more time to see if he could make a difference but when they realised that even Harry couldn't get him to snap out of it they stopped his visits.

Harry rings the institution every few days to get an update on his condition and occasionally he's told that it's getting worse, he gets some sort of pang in his chest when he hears about his debilitating condition. He wouldn't even want to see Louis like this, according to Liam he's gotten very thin and weak, they don't know how long he'll last.

Harry did develop some sort of bond towards Louis and he is completely fascinated by him, he is unlike anyone he has ever met and every visit with him just made him get even more interested, when he talked to Niall about possibly being attracted to him he realised that he's felt this way for a while but it's just been buried underneath a constant repetition of 'no no no no this isn't allowed' in his head. Now he's not listening to his head really, sometimes you just can't. Louis was the most unique character Harry has ever known, ever will know he's sure of that. Now this arrogant, sarcastic, eerily charming man is becoming a shadow of his former self. It has just happened too fast and Harry wants it to slow down so he can just grasp onto some part of it and say 'right let's focus on this now I've got it' but he can't, Louis is just getting worse and worse and there's absolutely nothing he can do about it. Nothing anyone can do about it. Even Liam sounded disappointed that this was happening to Louis, they shouldn't feel any sort of remorse towards Louis because he is essentially in the public eye a monster. A murderer. Filth. To them though he's just Louis. A character that has kept them on their toes for the past year, someone oddly special that's different enough to stand out from the usual monotonous strangers.

There's no one like Louis.

There never will be one like Louis.

Harry began to get increasingly worried about Louis so he had to tell Liam that he had admitted he killed his mother. Liam seemed to expect this though and just nodded, he made a little note in Louis' file and they said nothing else about it. At that time there wasn't any point in doing anything about those new revelations such as let the police know, the public were finally getting what they wanted, Louis to become a shell of his former self and for the monster to finally be gone so it won't hurt them as much.

Oh it had gotten out alright, Louis deteriorating mental state was plastered all over the newspapers, TV had pick up on it, there was even a documentary on him as his recently increased popularity created a strange new interest within the public. People were grasping onto any old news about him, it's almost as if they watched in hopes for him to keel over and die, it's understandable. Luckily no reports had picked up on Harry's visits with him, they only concentrated on Louis getting worse, to quote one article "when will this monster succumb to the darkness he's created".

Louis essentially was gone, has been for a while. He's just there physically now, mentally though, gone. It took Harry a while to accept that, there's no possible way of him coming back.

Any time the phone rings now he's almost scared to answer and when he does he has to take a deep breath before he even says hello, he's just waiting now for Liam to ring him and tell him that Louis has physically gone. Dead. Much to the delight of the public. Some wonder why he hadn't attempted suicide, they wonder how someone like him could possibly live with themselves after what he's done but they just don't understand that he never would feel any remorse. They just really don't understand that. In fact if he was face to face with any of his victims' families he'd probably just laugh and say _"yeah they weren't my faaaavourite, but it kept me busy"_ , that was Louis. Not a Louis that was completely focusing on killing and hurting others, no, he was witty and would come out with anything at all and wouldn't give a damn on what the consequence would be.

Harry just thinks it's best to remember Louis for how he was. Just Louis.

He was torn out of his bittersweet reverie however when a knock came to the door.

Maybe this is it he thinks, maybe Liam thought it was more courteous to tell him in person.

 

***

Zayn was an incredibly important component in this whole operation. Every thing he did now had to be at a precise time or else something would fall out of place and he wouldn't be able to fix it. Today is the day.

He was currently sat in the observation room with the other doctors as they pensively looked through the glass at Louis' frail body, he hadn't moved from that position other than to use the bathroom then he'd return to the same corner and huddle up in the same position. Zayn had to admire that, he never knew his acting skills were so up to par.

Liam looked absolutely distraught though, Louis was his best case and he thought he was making real progress with Britain's most brutal murderer, this 'turn' from Louis had knocked him off his pedestal though and he just looks on now, clinging onto any bit of hope at all that he may in fact snap out of this and revert back to the same old Louis.

Today was going to be a bit different however.

"Anyone want some lunch? I'm gonna head down to the canteen and get some sandwiches or something"

They all reply with what they want, Liam only wanting a ham sandwich. Zayn nods and heads downstairs to the canteen where he grabs a few plastic covered sandwiches and brings them into the bathroom. He places them on the counter and opens each one up and pulls them apart. He pokes around in his pocket for a few small vials containing a powder that he'll distribute to each sandwich. They're all so miserable they won't notice a difference in the taste. Whilst spreading the powder onto each sandwich he thinks how his life got to this. What if he never passed by that alley on his way home from his job as a photographer, he was good at his job, had his own studio, enough clients to keep him going. He had an almost idyllic life, but one night he finished later than usual and to get home he took a shortcut. That shortcut past that stupid fucking alleyway caused his life to turn out like this. He was forced to quit his job, ring up all his clients and say that he couldn’t take them on anymore, that his mother died and he was too grief stricken to carry on. To make the lie believable Louis went off and killed her. Just without even telling Zayn.   
“Your mum’s dead by the way, did it this morning” he said when he strolled into Zayn’s apartment one morning.  
Zayn hasn’t been the same since then, he’s just accepted this new life. This is him now. _‘This is me’_ he thinks as he’s going back up the stairs with a tray of tea and tainted sandwiches. He’s about to kill off ten people and he feels absolutely nothing. He should relish in this feeling really, emptiness. More people should crave it, it’s nice. Comforting.

They’re gone within an hour. They just slipped away, now all he has to do is disable the CCTV, he felt kind today, he felt kind enough to let the rest of the staff have a day off by texting them after the deaths of his colleagues that there had been a gas leak and they could take the rest of the day off. Zayn watched them filter out from the main CCTV room, he cleared the guard out of the room to alert him of the gas leak. Now all he had to do was disable the cameras and alarms. It was relatively easy, ‘Britains highest security mental institution’ was a bit far fetched.

Now all he had to do was fetch Louis.

He opens the door to Louis’ room where he’s still curled up in a ball.

“It’s done” Louis’ head snaps up and he has a big smile on his face, he jumps up, his hands freed from the handcuffs for weeks because the doctors didn’t see the point in keeping them on him anymore.  
“It’s time it’s time it’s time Zayn! Today’s the day!” his smile is so large it’s a miracle that his face hasn’t cracked in two yet. Zayn nods and they leave the institution through the back entrance, into Zayn’s car and they’re driving away. The first stop is to Harry’s.

 

***

“Hi love I missed you!” Louis practically throws himself at Harry and hugs him so tightly Harry nearly stops breathing. He has stopped breathing. He doesn’t know what’s going on. Louis is… he’s here? He shouldn’t be here? What is he doing here… Harry’s head is just louislouislouis and he presumes that Louis’ is harryharryharry. Louis releases Harry from his hold and steps back, just examining his face, at that point Harry sees Zayn standing behind Louis just awkwardly looking down at his hands.

“W- Why are you here? What’s going on?” he looks to Zayn who just looks up and shrugs his shoulders at him, Louis however was all too keen to answer Harry though.

“Well my love I’m out of that hell hole and I’m here with you! Isn’t that exciting?!” he looks genuinely happy but Harry’s just completely shocked, he doesn’t know what to feel, to think, to say, he just doesn’t know.

“Er yeah… yeah just, are you okay?”   
“I’m never going to be okay but I’m feeling pretty great if I do say so myself” he gently pushes past Harry to sit down on the sofa and props his feet up on the coffee table.  
“But the doctors said you were getting worse? You were getting worse” Harry decides to sit opposite him on an armchair whilst Zayn joins Louis on the sofa.

“I took acting classes in my early teens, something to do and I was rather good at it, decided to use them” he says nonchalantly as he just looks at his fingernails.

“But why are you here?” Harry stresses out and Louis begins to look annoyed.  
“Because I got out, I’m not going back, now do you have a shower I could use please? And some more clothes”

Harry shows him to the shower and gives him some clothes, joggers are the only pants that’ll fit Louis so when he comes out he ends up looking much younger than his years. He’s out. He’s actually out.

“Now. Any questions?” Louis sits back down on the couch, Zayn hasn’t moved or said anything and Harry’s starting to get a bit worried. He looks over at Zayn and nods in his direction.

“Is he okay?”  
Louis looks over at Zayn then does a double take and nudges him, Zayn seems to snap out of whatever trance he was in and slowly looks towards Louis.  
“You alright mate?” Louis asks in an almost taunting voice and smiles, it would look like a weird exchange to anyone else but Harry realises that this must somehow be normal when Zayn gives a small smile back and nods.  
“Yeah, tired I guess”

“Well yeah I’d expect that. Now Harry love, do you have any questions?” he leans forward and Harry gets a sudden urge to sit back but he doesn’t.  
“Um… well I don’t really know where to start?”  
“That’s understandable”  
Harry looks down at his hands and realises his nails have suddenly gotten incredibly interesting. What do you say in a situation like this?   
_‘So tell me what kind of getaway car did you use?’_  
 _‘Is your preference chloroform or straight forward killing?’_  
 _‘Knife or gun?’_

He knows that even if he asked these questions he’d get an answer without hesitation, Louis seems to always be looking for a way to impress Harry. It’s strange. From the moment Harry even heard about Louis he was impressed.  
“So I presume the last few weeks… that was an act?”  
“Oh yeah. I thought that was obvious”  
“I’m just kind of… I don’t know… telling myself? I just don’t-” he puts his face in his hands and sighs. He was sat there for a while like that when he heard Zayn and Louis muttering to themselves.  
“You have to tell him eventually”   
“Shut up, look at him! Just drop it” Harry raises his head and lets out another sigh.  
“What? What do you need to tell me now? What could you possibly need to tell me?” Zayn looks at Louis, Louis looks at Zayn until Zayn shrugs and stands up, nodding at Harry and leaves the flat. Louis shifts in his seat and trains his gaze on Harry.  
“We need to go. Like now”   
“You just got here”  
“No I don’t mean Zayn and me, well technically I do, but I mean me and you. All three of us need to go right now”   
“Just hold on” he sits forward and doesn’t know what to do with his hands, or himself for that matter.

“You arrive here, after weeks of making me think that you were… practically dying, then you come back like everything’s fine and want me to leave with you?”

“You basically summarized it in a sentence yeah”  
“But, me? Why me? I’m not going to help with anything?” Louis looks at Harry as if Harry is the most stupid human he’s ever met and grabs his hands from across the table.  
“You help. With everything. You don’t even know. You’ve brought something into my life that I’ve never had, I still don’t know what that is, but you’re important Haz. So important. I’m not all for politeness but, just please leave with me, I mean what else have you got here”  
“I’ve got everything here, friends, family, school-”   
“You don’t need that shit. Look me in the eyes right now and tell me that if I walked out that door right now to never come back again that you wouldn’t regret not coming with me”  
“I-”  
“Look at me” Harry looks up at Louis, trying to form some kind of coherent sentence but instead just laughs.  
“Fuck you” Louis smiles.  
“Is that a yes then?”  
“Yes. Fine. Yes” Louis’ face lights up and he pulls Harry closer to him and plants a kiss on those absolutely perfect rosy blowjob lips. And just for a minute his life seems to finally come together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I know I know I'm a shit. But there is one more chapter then Gone is officially finished. I hope you all enjoy the chapter and thanks again for all the comments/kudos/bookmarks, it truly baffles me how well this fic has done and I can't thank you all enough.


	14. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end. (Hello again oh dear).

"Right pack, go" Louis smiles at Harry, Harry leaps up out of his seat and to his room with Louis just looking at him with a fond smile on his face.

What do you even pack? Packing? What do you do? Throw your whole wardrobe into a case is that it?

Maybe he has to pack light... you know the whole running away thing.

God this is mad.

It's so mad.

But it gives Harry a rush he's never felt before, maybe this is what he needed. This little push is what he needed to realise that this was how his life is meant to go, to be with Louis.

Life is just mad.

Harry's mad to even think about going with Louis but he doesn't care. He wants this, he wants it so much. But this is something that happens in movies or books or... just not in real life. It doesn't happen, especially to someone like Harry.

This is evidently though a time for change and Harry is going to embrace that. Embrace it with Louis. Louis... he's alive, he's alive and well and he's sitting in his sitting room right now, Harry can hardly believe it. He sits down on the edge of his bed and runs a hand through his mop of curls, his hair had gotten longer the past few months because he didn't see any point of cutting it really. Niall said that he liked the "Moses/Jesus/Matty Healy look" he was going for and he thought that was a winning combination. The main thing though was that Louis was here, he wasn't leaving again and most importantly he wasn't dead or dying, he was very much alive and kicking. Then again if you went into some sort of philosophical tangent you'd conclude that we're all dying and everyday is one day close to our impending demise but no, Harry isn't going to think of that. No, he shakes his head and reaches under him to pull his dusty red suitcase out from underneath his bed and plops it on the bed beside him.

He gets up and goes over to his wardrobe hoping that something will give him some sort of guide on what to bring, how to pack, what to do. He doesn't know how staring at a button up he hasn't worn in three years is supposed to bring on an epiphany but it's a start.

' _All or nothing_ ' he thinks to himself and starts pulling off all his shirts, jackets, coats and various accessories off their hangers and throws them onto his bed.

He applies his all or nothing theory to the rest of his clothes in his chest of drawers until he realises when looking at the mountain of different coloured fabric that his small little carry on suitcase won't suffice, he'd ask Niall but Niall is in Ireland and Harry doesn't feel like swimming.

He doesn't know how long he's just been staring at the clothes but Louis comes in and starts staring at him.

"Are you expecting them to jump on the case on their own?" a small chuckle escapes from his lips and Harry feels his own turn up into a grin. How is it possible to be so fond for someone? Is it weird? It didn't feel weird. Harry has a fondness for Louis more than he has felt for any other person. As he looks back at the slightly shorter figure standing in the doorway he wonders if even for a second could he even pretend to feel the same kind of...fondness. 'What a nice word' Harry thought and he smiled to himself.

"I've just watched your expression go from happy to confused kitten to grinning at nothing, I'm supposed to be the mental one in this situation"

"'M not mental, just happy"

"Happy, right"

Louis gestures towards Harry's case with his hand.

"Get going. You don't have telekinesis Haz" then he turned and left, a few seconds later Harry heard the kettle going. Running away but still having time for a cup of tea, sounds about right.

***

An hour later Harry emerges from his room dragging his little case behind him, bumping up and down every so often as it glides over the floorboards, this was annoying Harry because he was already pissed off. Never in his life did he think packing would be that stressful. It shouldn't be but he probably made it more difficult for himself somehow... he usually does that though.

"Ready to go kitten?" Harry furrows his eyebrows at the nickname but Louis just returns him a bemused look.

"As I'll ever be" he shrugs and Louis nods. Of course though, nothing could be that simple and at that exact moment there's a knock at the door.

"Zayn?" Harry calls looking to Louis who shrugs and walks off towards the living room.

"Who? Have you got yourself some exotic man Harry? Let me in" Tabatha's voice echoes through the hallway. Shit.

Harry looks towards Louis and Louis smirks. This isn't the time to be smirking this is the time to be panic, this wasn't supposed to h-

Before he even has a chance to think Louis' up jogging towards the door and opens it with a flourish, Tabatha's face changes from being a bit pissed off to a look of absolute fear. Harry actually worries if she's about to drop dead,

"Oh so that Zayn..." is all she manages to mutter out before sheepishly stepping inside, her gaze quickly dropping to her feet.

"Hello! I'm Louis" he shoves out a hand for her to shake and she does so gently as if if she shook it too much he'd get angry and break every bone in her hand.

"Tabatha" she replies and Harry's watching this absolute wreck of a conversation. Never has he seen Tabatha be this quiet. Then again she has just shook the hand of a psychopathic serial killer who has escaped from a mental asylum, she could be doing a lot worse. It takes a few minutes of very controlled breathing before Tabatha is able to form a sentence.

"So what's going on here then?" she lifts her head up and looks between the two, Louis' face lights up.

"Well Tabatha, kitten and I are going away together" Tabatha almost wanted to let out an 'aw' at Louis' little nickname for Harry but decided against it. She had to be completely austere about this. Someone had to be.

"Are you alright Harry?" Louis frowns a little as Tabatha seems to blatantly ignore him. Feisty.

Harry looks at Tabatha as if she had two heads and shrugs.

"Course, why wouldn't I be?" Tabatha's jaw dropped a little bit as she looked between the two, this was possibly the most mental situation she had ever been in in her life.

"Are you both completely mad?" Harry thinks for a second and shakes his head but Louis does the complete opposite and is furiously nodding his head wearing a shit eating grin.

"A bit yeah. But it's fun!" Louis claps her on the back and she feels the wind being knocked out of her.

"Right. Um" what do you even say in a situation like this? Safe trip? Use protection? Fuck knows.

"Anything I need to do?" Seemed to be the only logical thing her brain formed to say. She could say something in any situation, throw her in at the deep end and she'd be absolutely fine. Put her with the most awkward person on earth and she'd be able to drag a full blown conversation out of them, this though? Her 'what to say when your friend is running away with a psycho he's in unrequited love with' compartment was like an empty filing cabinet. Shame really. She should have come up some one liners at least. But nope, she had nothing.

"Let Emma know-"

"Gemma"

"Gemma know, sorry love it's bad I don't know your sister's name"

"S'alright"

"Let her know what's going and obviously say nothing. If his mother gets suspicious say he's gone off on a holiday with.. a friend he met in class I don't know you're smart you'll think of something"

"I'll try?"

"No you won't try you'll do it"

"Right.. will do" Louis nods at her, Harry goes back into his daze and Tabatha's left staring at the floor again which is much more interesting than this conversation. She's been standing there for about five minutes when she realises that Harry's stare has locked onto her and she doesn't really know what to do. His stare doesn't relent until Louis notices.

"Harry you're not fucking Sherlock stop with the little evaluations please"

"They're useful!"

"I'll pick you up a deerstalker hat then on the way... Christ" Louis rolls his eyes and Tabatha lets out a small chuckle. Harry thought is little 'psychological evaluations' were some new fantastic innovation that were completely unique to him. Bless.

"Who's the bloke in the car then?" she genuinely wanted to know this because he was possibly the most perfect looking human being she'd ever laid her eyes on, he was sitting in the black car, a cigarette hanging out the corner of his mouth as he tapped away at his phone. She was gawking at him and was unfortunately caught because when she walked past his window to get into the block of flats he looked up and gave her a small smile. She's lucky she got in the door when she did because if her gaze lingered on him for a second longer her legs probably wouldn't have supported her any longer and she'd just collapse to the ground. He was just breathtakingly beautiful, how was it possibly for someone to be that perfect? Adonis didn't even come close.

'Sorry Gemma' she thought. But even if Gemma saw him she'd join Tabatha to just stare at him all day.

"Zayn, he's a mate of mine" oh that Zayn. Fuck. If she even lays a finger on him Niall would sprint from Mullingar and drag him away from her faster than she could say 'hello'.

Tabatha nods without saying anything, she gives the two a hug, tells Harry to be careful and leaves.

Love is just mad.

***

"Ready to go then?" Louis pipes up, it was now quite late, Zayn hadn't returned and they kept up a light conversation to fill the air really. Stalling until the inevitable happened.

Now or never.

"Yeah" Harry gets up and drags his case along with him as he walks with Louis to the front door. It's only when he gets there that he realises one important detail.

"Niall. What about Niall?"

"All sorted love. Zayn has probably charmed the shit out of him by now and we don't have to worry about it at all"

***

Zayn had gotten bored of Flappy Birds about half an hour ago and now was just chain smoking his packet of cigarettes to pass the time. Putting off what he had to do. He wasn't really a procrastinator, only when it came to really important things, like this.

Niall.

He can’t even remember the last time he talked to Niall, it’s definitely been months… at least. Phones have been updated considerably during the years, there's an app for everything, why isn't there one for 'things to say to someone you had a thing for when you haven't spoken to them in months'. Zayn wasn't the greatest speaker at the best of times, he tended to leave that area to Louis because he could always talk the arse off a donkey. Zayn liked to stand off in the corner and look mysterious, Louis told him that one day when he had to go on a job. Louis was due money from a rival gang member, Louis always got the good stuff for his customers and he always made sure they paid, so Louis told him to not say anything and to"stand over there and do your mysterious face". Zayn had no idea what his mysterious face was but Louis just rolled his eyes and said "it comes natural to you babe".

Now however he can't do his mysterious face and hope he can get away with it. No.. he had to do this. Text him or call him? He tried texting, tapped out around twenty possible messages to him but deleted them all and stared down at his phone in annoyance. He was on possible message twenty four when he saw shadow pass in front of his car, he looks up to see a red haired girl, around his age with a fedora perched on her shoulder length hair. She was staring at him as she slowly walked along, not even a subtle stare, full on gawking at him. Zayn decided to be polite though and gave her a small smile, she picked up her pace and practically sprinted into the front door of the block of flats. She wasn't bad though... he was still quite hung up on Niall for some reason but if he wasn't he'd definitely be after her right now charming the shit out of her. Hung up on Niall... stupid, how could you still be attached to someone after not speaking to them for months but you end up thinking of them every single day. Little things during your day will bring some memory of them to light and you'll have to stop and smile at it. Fond. Zayn has a lot of it for Niall.

Before he could even think twice about his decision he had tapped on Niall's name in his contacts and waited as it rang.. and waited.. And waite-

"Hello?"

"Uh hi Niall it's Zayn hi" if greetings were rated that would be a solid seven.

"Zayn?" there was a sound of a door opening and closing and a rush of wind so Zayn presumed Niall had stepped outside.

"Yeah.. hi?"

"Hi... how are ya?"

"I'm good... how about you?"

"Grand"

"Great" _'bringing the abbreviated Facebook conversations back well done Zayn'_   he thought to himself.

"Listen.. right this'll sound mad bu-"

"Why should I?"

"What"

"Why should I listen to you?" Oh for fuck sake Niall I don't need you getting pissy now he rolled his eyes, charm Malik, charm.

"I'm sorry babe just... a lot of shit happened and I shouldn't have broken things off the way I did"

There was a sigh on the other end before Niall spoke again.

"Just what did you ring me for?"

"Harry and Louis are.. kind of running away together? Sounds like a shit novel or something but they are, just thought to let you know" suddenly Niall erupted into fits of laughter and he was so loud that Zayn had to bring his phone away from his ear until he was gasping for air and couldn't laugh any more.

"Do.. do you realise how fucking mad that sounds like are you hearing yourself? Running away? You're making them sound like two angsty teenagers who think they know what love and are running away together or some shit, fucking hell" and he’s off again. Cackling laughter whilst Zayn waits helplessly for it to die down wishing he didn’t get this fucking job, get him to bump off someone no problem, but actually holding a conversation? No. Definitely not his strong point. Never has been never will be.

It was another few minutes of Niall intermittently laughing until Zayn figured that enough was enough and he just had to get this done and over with.   
“Look I just wanted to let you know, that’s all I needed to ring you for” he hung up then. No, no happy ending ‘No wait please I love you’ because Zayn’s Zayn and Niall’s Niall, two stubborn little shits who could never come to an agreement on something like love. Love is still a learning process for them and neither of them have the time to figure it out.  
Love is… not for them. Not their thing.

***

Everything after Louis told Harry that Zayn was sorting out Niall moved very quickly. They were soon bolting down the stairs then Louis figured out where there would be a weak spot for the security cameras on the building. Out a window on the ground floor and to the left if anyone was wondering. Throughout this Harry’s smile never faltered, this was exhilarating. This just felt right.  
Even when Louis threw Harry’s suitcase into the car and they were speeding away, nothing felt wrong at all. Nothing. Something should’ve but nothing did. This was just some crazy form of love that nothing made sense to anyone watching, but it made sense to them.

“Ready for this babe?” Louis asks Harry with a slight smile on his lips.  
“Ready”

“We’re going to Italy, that okay? Like the sound of that?”   
“Sounds alright to me” Harry smiles widely and Louis mirrors his expression.

“You’re mad you know that right?”  
“Yeah” Harry nods, “Feels alright though”

“It does doesn’t it?”

Strangely enough they were never caught. Bit odd, but they weren’t, the search went on for over a year but they were never found. As soon as they set foot in Venice, Italy Louis set about changing their identities, their appearance, everything. Him and Zayn worked together to make sure every trace of them were gone and it worked. Five years later everything came together. They were still together, Zayn realised he actually couldn’t be without Niall. It felt odd for him to just leave him so they decided to relocate to Scotland, close to where Gemma and Tabatha now lived. Of course they were all questioned extensively about the whereabouts of Louis and Harry but they vehemently denied all claims made against them. Anne Styles however was never told about where Harry was and still hoped for him to come back. She remarried but she always felt a hole in her heart that couldn’t be filled until her Harry came back.

Everything else though came together, and the oddest couple ever to be together seemed to work.

**  
They were gone for each other.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After an incrediiiibly long hiatus. Hello. I really hope you enjoy the finale, this is the end of Gone, there'll be no sequels (sorry) but I do have an idea for another story (possibly two) that may go into the making.  
> If you have aaaaaany questions at all please feel free to contact me on my kik which is the same username as I've got here. Feel free to say hello even I don't mind.  
> Oh also I decided to post the link of the story in twitter one day and used a quote from a girl's tweet I found about the story, it was along the lines of "you're not Sherlock Harry", I thought it was pretty good because even I don't particularly like the beginning of this story so I decided to slot that in here.  
> Thank you all for waiting and following me on this journey, I'm eternally grateful.


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